before. But--but twenty THOUSAND a--a year! For mercy sakes, what's the
principal?"

"In the neighborhood of five hundred thousand, I believe. Of course, we
had no authority to investigate thoroughly. That will be a part of your
duties, but--"

"S-shh! Let me soak this into my brains a little at a time. 'Bije leaves
his children five hundred thousand, half a million, and--and they've got
to ECONOMIZE! And I'm... Would you mind readin' me that will?"

The attorney drew a long envelope from his pocket, extracted therefrom a
folded document, donned a pair of gold-mounted eyeglasses, and began to
read aloud.

The will was short and very concise. "'I, Abijah Rodgers Warren, being
of sound mind--'"

"You're sartin that part's true, are you?" broke in the captain.

Graves nodded, rather impatiently, and continued. "'Of sound mind,
memory and understanding, do make, publish and declare this to be my
last will and testament, in manner following, that is to say:--

"'First:--I direct my executor hereinafter named to pay my just debts
and funeral expenses as soon as maybe convenient after my decease.'"

"Did he owe much, think likely?" asked Captain Elisha.

"Apparently not. Very little beyond the usual bills of a household."