Tregarthen took the captain by the hand, and gave his hand to each of the young men, but positively and finally answered No.  He said, they trusted to his word, and he was glad of it, and at rest in his mind; but there was no proof, and the money must remain as it was.  All were very earnest over this; and earnestness in men, when they are right and true, is so impressive, that Mr. Pettifer deserted his cookery and looked on quite moved.

“And so,” said the captain, “so we come—­as that lawyer-crittur over yonder where we were this morning might—­to mere proof; do we?  We must have it; must we?  How?  From this Clissold’s wanderings, and from what you say, it ain’t hard to make out that there was a neat forgery of your writing committed by the too smart rowdy that was grease and ashes when I made his acquaintance, and a substitution of a forged leaf in your book for a real and torn leaf torn out.  Now was that real and true leaf then and there destroyed?  No,—­for says he, in his drunken way, he slipped it into a crack in his own desk, because you came into the office before there was time to burn it, and could never get back to it arterwards.  Wait a bit.  Where is that desk now?  Do you consider it likely to be in America Square, London City?”

Tregarthen shook his head.

“The house has not, for years, transacted business in that place.  I have heard of it, and read of it, as removed, enlarged, every way altered.  Things alter so fast in these times.”

“You think so,” returned the captain, with compassion; “but you should come over and see me afore you talk about that.  Wa’al, now.  This desk, this paper,—­this paper, this desk,” said the captain, ruminating and walking about, and looking, in his uneasy abstraction, into Mr. Pettifer’s hat on a table, among other things.  “This desk, this paper,—­this paper, this desk,” the captain continued, musing and roaming about the room, “I’d give—­”

However, he gave nothing, but took up his steward’s hat instead, and stood looking into it, as if he had just come into church.  After that he roamed again, and again said, “This desk, belonging to this house of Dringworth Brothers, America Square, London City—­”

Mr. Pettifer, still strangely moved, and now more moved than before, cut the captain off as he backed across the room, and bespake him thus:—­

“Captain Jorgan, I have been wishful to engage your attention, but I couldn’t do it.  I am unwilling to interrupt Captain Jorgan, but I must do it. I knew something about that house.”

The captain stood stock-still and looked at him,—­with his (Mr. Pettifer’s) hat under his arm.

“You’re aware,” pursued his steward, “that I was once in the broking business, Captain Jorgan?”

“I was aware,” said the captain, “that you had failed in that calling, and in half the businesses going, Tom.”