“Took it?  When?” inquired the other, as the business of the yachting cruise began to appear before him in its true colours.

“The afternoon you were here waiting for him,” said Miss Drewitt.

“Afternoon?” repeated Mr. Tredgold, blankly.  “The afternoon I was——­” He drew himself up and eyed her angrily.  “Do you mean to say that you think I took the thing?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” said the girl.  “I suppose you won’t deny that your friends have got it?”

“Yes; but you said that it was the afternoon I was here,” persisted the other.

Miss Drewitt eyed him indignantly.  The conscience-stricken culprit of a few minutes before had disappeared, leaving in his stead an arrogant young man, demanding explanations in a voice of almost unbecoming loudness.

“You are shouting at me,” she said, stiffly.

Mr. Tredgold apologised, but returned to the charge.  “I answered your question a little while ago,” he said, in more moderate tones; “now, please, answer mine.  Do you think that I took the map?”

“I am not to be commanded to speak by you,” said Miss Drewitt, standing very erect.

“Fair-play is a jewel,” said the other.  “Question for question.  Do you?”

Miss Drewitt looked at him and hesitated.  “No,” she said, at last, with obvious reluctance.

Mr. Tredgold’s countenance cleared and his eyes softened.

“I suppose you admit that your father has got it?” said the girl, noting these signs with some disapproval.  “How did he get it?”

Mr. Tredgold shook his head.  “If those three overgrown babes find that treasure,” he said, impressively, “I’ll doom myself to perpetual bachelorhood.”

“I answered your question just now,” said the girl, very quietly, “because I wanted to ask you one.  Do you believe my uncle’s story about the buried treasure?”

Mr. Tredgold eyed her uneasily.  “I never attached much importance to it,” he replied.  “It seemed rather romantic.”

“Do you believe it?”

“No,” said the other, doggedly.

The girl drew a long breath and favoured him with a look in which triumph and anger were strangely mingled.

“I wonder you can visit him after thinking him capable of such a falsehood,” she said, at last.  “You certainly won’t be able to after I have told him.”

“I told you in confidence,” was the reply.  “I have regarded it all along as a story told to amuse Chalk; that is all.  I shall be very sorry if you say anything that might cause unpleasantness between myself and Captain Bowers.”

“I shall tell him as soon as he comes in,” said Miss Drewitt.  “It is only right that he should know your opinion of him.  Good-night.”

Mr. Tredgold said “good-night,” and, walking to the door, stood for a moment regarding her thoughtfully.  It was quite clear that in her present state of mind any appeal to her better nature would be worse than useless.  He resolved to try the effect of a little humility.