“The Fair Emily is a ship,” said the latter to Mrs. Chalk.

“A ship!” cried the bewildered woman.  “A ship living with her invalid mother and coming to my husband to get her a place!  Are you trying to screen him, too?”

“It’s a ship,” repeated Captain Bowers, sternly, as he sought in vain to meet the eye of Mr. Chalk; “a craft of two hundred and something tons.  For some reason—­best known to himself—­Mr. Chalk wants the matter kept secret.”

“It—­it isn’t my secret,” faltered Mr. Chalk.

“Where’s she lying?” said Captain Bowers.

Mr. Chalk hesitated.  “Biddlecombe,” he said, at last.

Captain Brisket laughed noisily and, smacking his leg with his open hand, smiled broadly upon the company.  No response being forthcoming, he laughed again for his own edification, and sat good-humouredly waiting events.

“Is this true, Thomas?” demanded Mrs. Chalk.

“Yes, my dear,” was the reply.

“Then why didn’t you tell me, instead of sitting there listening to a string of falsehoods?”

“I—­I wanted to give you a surprise—­a pleasant little surprise,” said Mr. Chalk, with a timid glance at Captain Bowers.  “I have bought a share in a schooner, to go for a little cruise.  Just a jaunt for pleasure.”

“Tredgold, Stobell, and Chalk,” said Captain Bowers, very distinctly.

“I wanted to keep it secret until it had been repainted and done up,” continued Mr. Chalk, watching his wife’s face anxiously, “and then Captain Brisket came in and spoilt it.”

“That’s me, ma’am,” said the gentleman mentioned, shaking his head despairingly.  “That’s Bill Brisket all over.  I come blundering in, and the first thing I do is to blurt out secrets; then, when I try to smooth it over——­”

Mrs. Chalk paid no heed.  Alluding to the schooner as “our yacht,” she at once began to discuss the subject of the voyage, the dresses she would require, and the rival merits of shutting the house up or putting the servants on board wages.  Under her skilful hands, aided by a few suggestions of Captain Brisket’s, the Fair Emily was in the short space of twenty minutes transformed into one of the most luxurious yachts that ever sailed the seas.  Mr. Chalk’s heart failed him as he listened.  His thoughts were with his partners in the enterprise, and he trembled as he thought of their comments.

“It will do Mrs. Stobell a lot of good,” said his wife, suddenly.

Mr. Chalk, about to speak, checked himself and blew his nose instead.  The romance of the affair was beginning to evaporate.  He sat in a state of great dejection, until Captain Bowers, having learned far more than he had anticipated, shook hands with impressive gravity and took his departure.

The captain walked home deep in thought, with a prolonged stare at the windows of Tredgold’s office as he passed.  The present whereabouts of the map was now quite clear, and at the top of Dialstone Lane he stopped and put his hand to his brow in consternation, as he thought of the elaborate expedition that was being fitted out for the recovery of the treasure.