Mr. Winslow was speechless.  Captain Sam shook his head.

“And that ain’t the most astonishin’ part either,” he observed.  “While those bills were in the dark at the bottom of that crack they must have sprouted.  They went in there nothin’ but tens and twenties.  These you just gave me are fives and twos and all sorts.  You’d better poke astern of those boards again, Jed.  The roots must be down there yet; all you’ve scratched up are the sprouts.”

His only answer was a hopeless groan.  Captain Sam rose and, walking over to where his friend sat with his face buried between his hands, laid his own hand on the latter’s shoulder.

“There, there, Jed,” he said, gently.  “I beg your pardon.  I’m sorry I stirred you up this way.  ’Twas mean of me, I know, but when you commenced givin’ me all this rigmarole I couldn’t help it.  You never was meant for a liar, old man; you make a mighty poor fist at it.  What is it all about?  What was you tryin’ to do it for?”

Another groan.  The captain tried again.

“What’s the real yarn?” he asked.  “What are you actin’ this way for?  Course I know you never found the money.  Is there somebody—­”

“No!  No, no!” Jed’s voice rose almost to a shout.  He sprang to his feet and clutched at Captain Sam’s coat-sleeve.  “No,” he shouted.  “Course there ain’t anybody.  Wh-what makes you say such a thing as that?  I—­I tell you I did find the money.  I did—­I did.”

“Jed!  Of course you didn’t.  I know you didn’t.  I know.  Gracious king, man, be sensible.”

“I did!  I did!  I found it and now I give it back to you.  What more do you want, Sam Hunniwell?  Ain’t that enough?”

“Enough!  It’s a darned sight too much.  I tell you I know you didn’t find it.”

“But I did.”

“Rubbish!  In the first place, you and I hunted every inch behind those boards the very day the money was missin’, and ’twa’n’t there then.  And, besides, this isn’t the money I lost.”

“Well—­well, what if ’tain’t?  I don’t care.  I—­I know ’tain’t.  I—­I spent your money.”

“You spent it?  When?  You told me you only found it this mornin’.”

“I—­I know I did, but ’twan’t so.  I—­I—­” Jed was in an agony of alarm and frantic haste.  “I found your money two or three days ago.  Yes, sir, that’s when I found it. . . .  Er. . . er . . .”

“Humph!  Why didn’t you tell me you found it then?  If you’d found it what made you keep runnin’ into the bank to ask me if I’d found it?  Why didn’t you give it back to me right off?  Oh, don’t be so ridiculous, Jed.”

“I—­I ain’t.  It’s true.  I—­I didn’t give it back to you because—­ because I—­I thought first I’d keep it.”

“Keep it?  Keep it?  Steal it, do you mean?”

“Yes—­yes, that’s what I mean.  I—­I thought first I’d do that and then I got—­got kind of sorry and—­and scared and I got some more money—­and now I’m givin’ it back to you.  See, don’t you, Sam?  That’s the reason.”