William Wylder's reversion was very tempting. But Lawyer Larkin knew the
value of the precious metals, and waited for more data. The more he
thought over his foreign correspondence, and his interview with Lake, the
more steadily returned upon his mind the old conviction that the gallant
captain was deep in the secret, whatever it might be.

Whatever his motive--and he always had a distinct motive, though
sometimes not easily discoverable--he was a good deal addicted now to
commenting, in his confidential talk, with religious gossips and others,
upon the awful state of the poor vicar's affairs, his inconceivable
prodigality, the unaccountable sums he had made away with, and his own
anxiety to hand over the direction of such a hopeless complication of
debt, and abdicate in favour of any competent skipper the command of the
water-logged and foundering ship.

'Why, his Brother Mark could get him cleverly out of it--could not he?'
wheezed the pork-butcher.

'More serious than you suppose,' answered Larkin, with a shake of his
head.

'It can't go beyond five hundred, or say nine hundred--eh, at the
outside?'

'Nine _hundred_--say double as many _thousand_, and I'm afraid you'll be
nearer the mark. You'll not mention, of course, and I'm only feeling my
way just now, and speaking conjecturally altogether; but I'm afraid it is
enormous. I need not remind you not to mention.'

I cannot, of course, say how Mr. Larkin's conjectures reached so