"So I am, but this is another book. This will be in seventeen volumes,
with colored plates. I want to get all the information I can, about
rats."

"I'm sorry that I can't help you," replied Mr. Blowitz. "In fact I
know little about the abandoning of the brig, except what I heard. I
was not aboard, and I don't know whether the rats left it or not. All
I know is that the vessel is lost, and with a fortune aboard."

"A fortune aboard?" inquired Ned.

"Yes, worth about a quarter of a million."

"Is it gold or diamonds?" asked Rose, who was very fond of jewelry and
precious stones.

"Neither one, my dear young lady," said Mr. Blowitz, with as happy a
smile as he could assume. "It is valuable merchandise. Of course there
was some money, and some valuable papers, but the main part of the
cargo was costly merchandise. I'll tell you how it happened. But
first, let us have some more chocolate," and he called to the Mexican
girl waiter.

When the cups had been filled Mr. Blowitz resumed his story.

"I am interested in many enterprises," he said, "and I and some other
men went into a venture to ship some valuable goods to the Santa
Barbara islands, which are not far off this coast. I was the principal
owner, having bought out my partner, and it looked as if I would make
a large sum.