water.

I turned to the letter; it was all but a pulp, and in its present
state illegible. Carefully smoothing it out, I slipped it inside the
strap and turned to hide my prize; for such was my fear of the man
who called himself Apollyon, that I could know no peace of mind
whilst it remained about me. How should I hide it? After some
thought, I remembered that a stone or two in the now empty cow-house
had fallen loose. With a hasty glance over my shoulder, I crept
around and into the shed. The stones came away easily in my hand.
With another hurried look, I slipped the packet into the opening,
stole out of the shed, and entered the house by the back door.

My mother had been up for some time--it was now about nine o'clock--
and had prepared our breakfast. Her face was still pale, but some of
its anxiety left it as I entered. She was evidently waiting for me
to speak. Something in my looks, however, must have frightened her,
for, as I said nothing, she began to question me.

"Well, Jasper, is there any news?"

"There was a ship wrecked on Dead Man's Rock last night, but they've
not found anything except--"

"What was it called?"

"The _Mary Jane_--that is--I don't quite know."

Up to this time I had forgotten that mother would want to know about
my doings that morning. As an ordinary thing, of course I should