that she remembered that she had left it on the mantelpiece downstairs.

The captain was still below, and after a moment's hesitation she opened
her door and went softly down the steep winding stairs.

The door at the foot stood open, and revealed the captain standing by the
table. There was an air of perplexity and anxiety about him such as she
had never seen before, and as she waited he crossed to the bureau, which
stood open, and searched feverishly among the papers which littered it.
Apparently dissatisfied with the result, he moved it out bodily and
looked behind and beneath it. Coming to an erect position again he
suddenly became aware of the presence of his niece.

[Illustration: "He moved it out bodily and looked behind and beneath
it."]

"It's gone," he said, in an amazed voice.

"Gone?" repeated Prudence. "What has gone?"

"The map," said the captain, tumbling his beard. "I put it in this end
pigeon-hole the other night after showing it and I haven't touched it
since; and it's gone."

"But you burnt it!" said Prudence, with an astonished laugh.

The captain started. "No; I was going to," he said, eyeing her in
manifest confusion.

"But you said that you had," persisted his niece.