The Coming Wave Part 24

"Nothing."

"Then how did you know he had a good-looking son, familiar with the poets?"

"I don't."

"That was what you said."

"I only supposed a case. So far as we know now, no one was acquainted with Mr. Wallbridge. No one knows anything at all about him."

"All right, then. All we have to do is to divy."

"Not yet. I am going to see the owners of the Waldo, in which Mr.

Wallbridge was a pa.s.senger. They know nothing about him, I am aware; but I am going to ask them to write to their agents in Havana, and ascertain who he was."

"That's taking a good deal of trouble for nothing, you see," added Mr.

Raymond, with a look of disappointment and dissatisfaction.

"That is just what I am going to do, any how," replied Leopold, firmly.

"The money don't belong to me, and I intend to keep it safely till the heirs of Wallbridge appear to claim it; or at least, till I am satisfied there are no heirs. When that time comes, I shall be willing to _consider_ the question of dividing it with Stumpy and you."

"I don't think any of it belongs to me," added Stumpy.

"I think a share of it belongs to me; but I am willing to discount my claim, you see."

"Discount it?" queried Leopold.

"I can't wait a year or two till you find out whether or not the man that buried the gold has any heirs or not."

"I am very sorry you are so impatient."

"I want the money now, when my governor is cruel to me. Besides, in two years gold may be down to par, and it won't bring anything more than its face, you see. I want to do the fair thing. Give me two hundred dollars in gold, and I will relinquish my claim: discount it, you see."

"No, Mr. Redmond; I cannot sell or discount what don't belong to me.

They may do it in New York, but some of us countrymen haven't yet learned how to do that thing, you see," laughed Leopold.

"Say one hundred, then."

"Not a single dollar. The best I can do is to promise that I will _consider_ the question of a division when I feel that the money belongs to the finder."

Mr. Redmond argued the point in all its bearings, but with no different result.

"But how long will it be before you find out whether this man had any heirs?" asked he.

"I may ascertain in a month or two. It don't take but a week or ten days for a letter to go to Havana."

"Then I must wait, I suppose," mused the fop.

"You must, indeed."

"But I am sure you will find no heirs."

"I may not."

"Leopold, I'll tell you what I will do. I want to be fair, you see."

"I see."

"Give me two hundred in gold now, and then, if you find any heirs, I will agree to pay the money back to you. That's fair, you see."

"Perhaps it is," laughed Leopold, amused at the desperation of the c.o.xcomb; "but one so busy as you are, and will always be, in a great city like New York, might forget to send me the money."

"I will give you my note for it."

"Your note would not be worth any more than mine, for neither of us is of age. If you will give me your father's note I will think about it."

"My father's note! I don't want my governor to know anything about this business, you see. I want this money for my private purse, so that I can give a champagne supper when I please."

"I am afraid we shall not be able to manage the business, Mr. Redmond.

You know I was to _consider_ your claim, when I found there were no heirs."

"O, you mean to cheat me out of it."

"I promised to _consider_ your claim. But in the mean time I don't want anything said about this money in Rockhaven. It would make too much talk."

"O, you want me to keep the secret--do you?" demanded Mr. Redmond, with a new gleam of hope.

"I do." And Leopold explained some of the reasons which induced him to desire that the hidden treasure should still remain a secret.

"If you mean to do the fair thing, of course I shall keep still, you know. Give me my share, and I will keep as still as the man that has gone to the happy hunting-ground."

"I can't promise anything."

"Neither can I," said the fop, angrily; for by this time he had come to the conclusion that Leopold did not intend to do "the fair thing."

The money-digger was appalled to think of having the story of the buried treasure told all over Rockhaven, and perhaps being compelled to hand it over to his father before he had made any effort to find the heirs of the lost pa.s.senger. On the other hand, he could neither divide the money at the present time, nor promise to do so in the future, with the troublesome visitor; and the former was the less of the two evils. The appearance of the young ladies on the beach, as they emerged from the Hole in the Wall, put an end to the argument; but Leopold hoped yet that he should be able to prevail upon Mr. Redmond to be silent in regard to the treasure.

"I am very glad to see you again, ladies," said the fop, running toward them as they approached. "I hope you will pardon me for leaving you, and for not returning, for a matter of some little importance prevented me from joining you again."

"You are very excusable, Mr. Redmond," replied Rosabel. "We contrived to pa.s.s away the time in your absence."

"Thank you for your kind consideration."

"We didn't suffer much for the want of you, Charley Redmond," added Belle.

The party immediately embarked in the Rosabel, which was soon under way on the return to Rockhaven. But the wind was dead ahead, and even fresher than when they had come down to High Rock. Leopold stood directly out to sea, making only one tack in reaching the river. It was very rough, and Mr. Redmond soon lost all his elasticity of spirit, and forgot all about the hidden treasure of High Rock, in his fears for his own safety. But, in spite of the gale, the Rosabel went into the river without accident, under the skillful management of the skipper, though the entire party were thoroughly drenched by the spray.

As soon as Leopold had landed his pa.s.sengers, and securely moored the sloop, he hastened, before going to the hotel, to the shop of his uncle.

Without any explanation, he dropped upon the watch-maker's counter the shot-bag, in which the gold c.h.i.n.ked as it fell, to the intense astonishment of Herr Schlager.