to a banker about? I have got a lot of money
I want to get rid of."

Hardie stared; but was as much on his guard
as ever; only more and more puzzled.

Then David winked at him with simple
cunning, took out his knife, undid his shirt, and
began to cut the threads which bound the Cash
to his flannel.

At this Skinner wheeled round on his stool
to look, and both he and Mr. Hardie inspected
the unusual pantomime with demure curiosity.

Dodd next removed the oilskin cover, and
showed the pocket-book, brought it down with
a triumphant smack on the hollow of his hand,
and, in the pride of his heart, the joy of his
bosom, and the fever of his blood—for there
were two red spots on his cheek all the time—
told the cold pair Its adventures in a few glowing
words; the Calcutta firm,—the two pirates,
—the hurricane,—the wreck,—the land sharks,
he had saved It from. "And here It is, safe
in spite of them all. But I won't carry It on
me any more; it is unlucky: so you must be so
good as to take charge of It for me, sir."

"Very well, Captain Dodd. You wish it
placed to Mrs. Dodd's account, I suppose."

"No! no! I have nothing to do with that:
this is between you and me."

"As you please."

"Ye see it is a good lump, sir."

"Oh, indeed!" said Hardie, a little sneeringly.

"I call it a thundering lot o' money. But I
suppose it is not much to a rich banker like
you." Then he lowered his voice, and said with
a certain awe: "It's—fourteen—thousand—
pounds."

"Fourteen thousand pounds!!!" cried Hardie.
Then with sudden and consummate coolness,
"Why certainly an established bank like this
deals with more considerable deposits than that.
Skinner, why don't you give the captain a chair?"

"No, no!" said Dodd. "I'll heave to till I
get this off my mind; but I won't anchor
anywhere but at home." He then opened the
pocket-book and spread the contents out before
Mr. Hardie, who ran over the notes and bills,
and said the amount was £14,010. 12s. 6d.

Dodd asked for a receipt.

"Why it is not usual, when there is an
account."

Dodd's countenance fell: "Oh, I should not
like to part with it, unless I had a receipt."

"You mistake me," said Hardie, with a smile.
''An entry in your Banker's book is a receipt.
However, you can have one in another form."
He then unlocked a desk; took out a banker's'
receipt; and told Skinner to fill it in. This
done, he seemed to be absorbed in some more
important matter.

Skinner counted the notes and left them with
Mr. Hardie: the bills he took to his desk to
note them on the margin of the receipt. Whilst
he was writing this with his usual slowness and
precision, poor Dodd's heart overflowed: "It is
my children's fortune, ye see: I don't look on a
sixpence of it as mine: that is what made me so
particular. It belongs to my little Julia, bless her!
—she is a rosebud if ever there was one; and oh,
such a heart; and so fond of her poor Father;
but not fonder than he is of her—and to my
dear boy Edward; he is the honestest young
chap you ever saw: what he says, you may swear
to, with your eyes shut; but how could they
miss either good looks or good hearts; and her
children? the best wife and the best mother in
England! She has been a true consort to me
this many a year, and I to her, in deep water
and shoal, let the wind blow high or low.
Here is a Simple Simon vaunting his own flesh
and blood! no wonder that little gentleman
there is grinning at me: well, grin away, lad!
perhaps you haven't got any children. But you
have, sir: and you know how it is with us
Fathers; our hearts are so full of the little
darlings, out it must come. You can understand
how joyful I feel at saving their fortune
from land sharks and sea sharks, and landing it
safe in an honest man's hands, like you, and
your Father before you."

Skinner handed him the receipt.

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