"By ginger!" came from him in an undertone, but loud enough for Walter to hear.
"Are you sure? Perhaps it has slipped among some of the clothing."
"I'll soon see," was the quick response, and the Yankee youth dumped the articles out in a heap. Sure enough, the golden eagle was gone.
"Somebody has robbed me," came in a groan. "Now who did it, do you suppose?"
"I'm sure I don't know. It might have been done here or on the train, or at the depot."
Si looked around him sharply. Not far away stood Jim Haskett, watching him intently. As soon as the ex-mate of the _Sunflower_ saw that he was noticed he turned away.
"I've got half a notion Haskett was the one to play me foul," he whispered to Walter. "What do you think?"
"He wouldn't be much of a man to rob a messmate of ten dollars."
"Oh, you don't know Haskett. He's as close as he is brutal. Once we got up a list to give Captain Pepperill a birthday present, but Haskett, although he was first mate, only gave twenty-five cents,--no more than Cooley, the cook, chipped in. In his eyes a ten-dollar gold piece is a big lot of money."
"It wouldn't do you any good to accuse him if you wasn't pretty certain he was guilty," returned Walter, cautiously. "You don't want to get into trouble right after coming on board. If you raised a row, they might put both you and Haskett in the brig."
"I'm going to ask him about it, anyway," answered the Yankee youth. "See, he is looking at us, and it 'pears to me as if he was enjoying himself to see me in trouble."
Leaving his satchel and scattered clothing as they were, Si advanced upon Haskett and without ceremony caught the man's shoulder.
"Haskett, I want to ask you something," he said, in a low tone. "Do you know anything about this, or don't you?"
"I don't know--" The ex-mate of the _Sunflower_ stopped short. "What are you talking about, Doring?"
"I left my satchel on the train, as you know. A ten-dollar gold piece is missing. I want to know----"
"What! do you accuse me of taking it?" demanded the man, wrathfully.
"I asked you if you knew anything about it."
"No, I don't. I've got my own affairs to look after. More than likely the car porter took your money--if you really had that amount."
"Well, I'm going to find that gold piece sooner or later, as sure as my name is Si Doring," exclaimed the Yankee youth, determinedly, and with a shake of his head he rejoined Walter and Paul Harbig.