"We didn't meet; and I did not see Captain Shivernock that day," Laud explained.
"I supposed he had; I spoke to Laud just as though he had, and he didn't deny that he had seen him."
"Of course I didn't. Don John made my story good, and I was willing to stick to it."
"But you did not stick to it," added the nabob. "You said you had paid no money to Don John."
"I will tell you how that was. When I got the secret out of Don John, I went to the captain with it. He asked me if I wanted to black-mail him. I told him no. Then I spoke to him about the tin trunk you had lost, and said one of the bills had been traced to me. I made up a story to show where I got the bill; but the man that gave it to me had gone, and I didn't even know his name. He had some bills just like that mended one; and when I told him what my trouble was, he promised to say that he had given me the bill; and then he laughed as I never saw a man laugh before."
"What was he laughing at?" asked the sheriff.
"He went off early the next morning, and I suppose he was laughing to think what a joke he was playing upon me, for he was not to be in town when wanted to get me out of trouble."
"He did say he let you have the use of the Juno for taking care of her, and that he gave you the money, though he wouldn't indicate what it was for," added the officer.
"I thought he was fooling me, and I didn't depend on him."
"That's Captain Shivernock," said the good nabob, as the party in the library were startled by a violent ring at the door.
It was the strange man. He was admitted by Nellie. He stalked up to Donald, his face red with wrath, and dashed the letter and bills into his face, crumpled up into a ball.
"You canting little monkey! What have you been doing?" roared he.
"Since I could not do what you wished me to do, I have returned your money," replied Donald, rising from his chair, for he feared the captain intended to assault him.
"Have you disobeyed my orders, you whelp?"
"I have; for I told you I should tell no lies."
"I'll break every bone in your body for this!" howled Captain Shivernock.
"Not yet, captain," interposed Mr. Beardsley. "You may have something else to break before you do that job."
"Who are you?" demanded the wicked nabob, with what was intended as a withering sneer; but no one wilted under it.