called Mister was when I was up before the lawyers, and I didn't like it
then. Jest please call me Jack Jepson, an' 'twill sound more natural. I
ask it as a favor, Miss," and he looked from Ruth to Alice.

"Why of course we'll call you Jack," assented the latter. "It will sound
nicer anyhow, I think," she added. "Now go on with your story. You said
there was a mystery in it. Has it anything to do with--buried treasure?"
and Alice leaned forward eagerly.

"Buried treasure? No, Miss. What made you ask that?"

"The idea!" exclaimed Ruth with a laugh. "I'm afraid you'll think my
sister very romantic, Mr.--er--Jack."

"That's better!" he laughed. "Well, I don't know much about romance. My
life's been mostly hard work."

"I just mentioned treasure," Alice said with a little laugh, and a
glance toward where Miss Pennington and Miss Dixon, having a rest from
their moving picture work, were curiously eyeing the old sailor and the
two girls.

"Well, my mystery hasn't anything t' do with buried treasure," resumed
Jack Jepson. "It's about a mutiny that took place off th' Hole in th'
Wall, about five years ago, an'----"

"Hole in the Wall!" interrupted Ruth. "I thought mutinies always took
place on the high seas."

"Well, this _was_ the high seas," Jack answered.