"
Captain Branscome gasped. "You--you told him so?" he echoed.
"I did, and he replied that it scarcely surprised him to hear it,
that of the few vessels which found their way to Mortallone, quite an
appreciable proportion came with some idea of discovering treasure.
The proportion, he added, had fallen off of late years, and the
most of them nowadays put in to water, but there was a time when
the treasure-seekers threatened to become a positive nuisance.
He said this with a smile which disarmed all suspicion. In fact, it
was impossible to take offence with the man."
But at this point Plinny, frightened perhaps at the warnings of
apoplexy in Captain Branscome's face, laid a hand gently on Miss
Belcher's arm.
"Are we treating our good friend quite fairly?" she asked.
Miss Belcher glanced at her and broke into a ringing laugh.
"You dear creature! No, to be sure, we are not; but from a child I
always turned mischievous under correction. Captain Branscome, I beg
your pardon."
"It is granted, ma'am."
"And--for I take you to be on the point of resigning, here and now--"
"Ma'am, you have guessed correctly."
"I am going to beg you to do nothing of the sort. No, I am not
going to ask it only as a favour, but to appeal to your reason.
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