The Yacht Club Part 30

"Where did you get the money you paid for the Juno?" demanded Donald, with energy.

"Where did I get it?" repeated Laud, evidently startled by the question, so vigorously put. "I told you where I got it."

"Tell me again."

"Captain s.h.i.+vernock gave it to me."

"What for?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Because it is a matter between the captain and me."

"I don't care if it is. You said you would answer all my questions, if I would not prosecute."

"Questions about the Maud," explained Laud. "I have told you the secret of my love--"

"Hang the secret of your love!" exclaimed Donald, disgusted with that topic. "I meant all questions."

"But I cannot betray the secrets of Captain s.h.i.+vernock. My honor--"

"Stick your honor up chimney!" interrupted Donald. "If you go back on the agreement, I shall take the fire before Squire Peters. The question I asked was, why Captain s.h.i.+vernock gave you four or five hundred dollars?"

"I wish I could answer you, Don John; but I do not feel at liberty to do so just now. I will see the captain, and perhaps I may honorably give you the information you seek."

"You needn't mince the matter with me. I know all about it now; but I want it from you."

"All about what?" asked Laud.

"You needn't look green about it. Do you remember the Sat.u.r.day when I told you the Juno was for sale?"

"I do, very distinctly," answered Laud. "You were in the Juno at the time."

"I was; we parted company, and you stood over towards the Northport sh.o.r.e."

"Just so."

"Over there you met Captain s.h.i.+vernock."

"I didn't say I did."

"But I say you did," persisted Donald. "For some reason best known to himself, the captain did not want any one to know he was on Long Island that night."

Laud listened with intense interest.

"Do you know what his reason was, Don John?"

"No, I don't. You saw his boat, and overhauled him near the sh.o.r.e."

"Well?"

"You overhauled him near the sh.o.r.e, and he gave you a pile of money not to say that you had seen him."

"It is you who says all this, and not I," added Laud, with more spirit than he had before exhibited. "My honor is not touched."

"I wish you wouldn't say anything more about your honor. It is like a mustard seed in a haymow, and I can't see it," snapped Donald.

"You can see that I came honorably by the money."

"Honestly by it; I am satisfied on that point," replied Donald. "If I had not been, I wouldn't have sold you the boat. You see I knew something of Captain s.h.i.+vernock's movements about that time. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have believed that he gave it to you."

"Then you must have seen the captain at the same time."

"I didn't say I saw him," laughed Donald. "But the wind is breezing up, and we are half way over to Brigadier Island. Come about, Laud."

The skipper acceded to the request, and headed the Juno for Belfast.

CHAPTER XIV.

CAPTAIN s.h.i.+VERNOCK'S JOKE.

Donald considered himself shrewd, sharp, and smart, because he had induced Laud virtually to own that Captain s.h.i.+vernock had given him the money to purchase his silence, but Donald was not half so shrewd, sharp, and smart as he thought he was.

"Mr. Cavendish, it's no use for us to mince this matter," he continued, determined further to draw out his companion, and feeling happy now, he was very respectful to him.

"Perhaps not, Don John."

"It can do no harm for you and me to talk over this matter. You saw Captain s.h.i.+vernock on that Sat.u.r.day morning--didn't you?"

"Of course, if I say I did, you will not let on about it--will you?"

"Not if I can help it; for the fact is, I am in the same boat with you."

"Then you saw the captain."

"Of course I did."

"But what was he doing down there, that made him so particular to keep shady about it?"

"I haven't the least idea. It was the morning after Hasbrook was pounded to a jelly in his own house; but I am satisfied that the captain had nothing to do with it."

"I am not so sure of that," added Laud.