The Yacht Club | Page 8

"He is much better, and is doing very well."
"I'm glad of it," added Laud, as he carried his basket down to a
sail-boat which was partly aground, and deposited it in the forward
cuddy.
Captain Patterdale wanted to talk with Laud, but he did not like to
excite any suspicions on his part. If the young man had taken the box
he would not be likely to go off on an island to stay over Sunday.
Besides, it was evident from the position of the boat, and the fact that it
contained several articles necessary for a fishing excursion, in addition
to those in the basket, that Laud had made his arrangements for the trip
before he visited the library of the elegant mansion. If he had taken the
box, he would probably have changed his plans. It was not likely,
therefore, that Laud was the guilty party.
"Are you going alone?" asked the captain, walking down the beach to
the boat.
"Yes, sir; I couldn't get any one to go with me. I tried Don John, but he
won't go off to stay over Sunday," replied Laud, with a sickly grin.
"I commend his example to you. I don't think it is a good way to spend
Sunday."

"It's the only time I can get to go. I've been trying to got off for a
month."
"Saturday must be a bad time for you to leave," suggested the captain.
"It is rather bad," added Laud, as he shoved off the bow of the boat, for
he seemed to be in haste to get away.
"By the way, Laud, did you notice a tin box in my library when you
were there this afternoon?" asked the nabob, with as much indifference
in his manner and tone as he could command.
"A tin box?" repeated Laud, busying himself with the jib of the
sail-boat.
"Yes; it was painted green."
"I don't remember any box," answered Laud.
"Didn't you see it? I opened it to take out the money I paid you."
"I didn't mind. I was receipting the bill while you were getting the
money ready. You know I sat down at your desk."
"Yes; I know you did; but didn't you see the box?"
"No, sir; I don't remember seeing any box," said Laud, still fussing over
the sail, which certainly did not need any attention.
"You went out through the library when you came down from
Michael's room--didn't you?" continued the captain.
"Yes, sir; I did. I left my hat in there."
"Did you see the box then?"
"Of course I didn't. If I had, I should have remembered it," replied Laud,
with a grin. "I just grabbed my hat, and ran, for I had been in the house
some time; and I got a blessing for being away so long when I went

back to the store."
"You didn't see the box, then?"
"If it was there, I suppose I saw it; but I didn't take any notice of it.
Why? is the box lost?"
"I want to get another like it. Haven't you anything of the sort in the
store?"
"We have some cake and spice boxes. They are tin, and painted on the
outside."
"Those will not answer the purpose. It's a very hot day," added the
captain, as he wiped the perspiration from his face, and walked back to
the shade of the shop.
Mr. Laud Cavendish stepped into the sail-boat, hoisted the sails, and
shoved her off into deep water with an oar. Captain Patterdale thought,
and then he did not know what to think. Was it possible Laud had not
noticed that tin box, which had been on a chair out in the middle of the
room? If he had not, why, then he had not; but if he had Laud had more
cunning, more self-control, and more ingenuity than the captain had
ever given him the credit, or the discredit, of possessing, for there was
certainly no sign of guilt in his tone or his manner, except that he did
not look the inquirer square in the face when he answered his questions,
though some guilty people can even do this without wincing.
Captain Patterdale watched the departing and the approaching boats,
still considering the possible relation of Laud Cavendish to the tin box.
If the fellow had stolen it, he would not go off on an island to stay over
Sunday, leaving the box behind to betray him; and this argument
seemed to be conclusive in his favor. The captain had looked into the
boat, and satisfied himself that the box was not there; unless it was in
the basket, which appeared to contain so many other things that there
was no room for it. On the whole, the captain was willing