"Very well," said Robert. "Now, then, reptile, take the pen, and write in your own hand, if you can."
He took the pen, and wrote to dictation—
"I, Arthur Wardlaw, confess that I forged the promissory note for 2,000 pounds, and sent it to Robert Penfold, and that 1,400 pounds of it was to be for my own use, and to pay my Oxford debts. And I confess that I bribed Wylie to scuttle the ship Proserpine in order to cheat the underwriters."
Penfold then turned to Wylie, and asked him the true motive of this fraud.
"Why, the gold was aboard the Shannon," said Wylie; "I played hanky-panky with the metals in White's store."
"Put that down," said Penfold. "Now go on."
"Make a clean breast," said Wylie. "I have. Say as how you cooked the Proserpine's log, and forged Hiram Hudson's writing."
"And the newspaper extracts you sent me," said Helen, "and the letters from Mr. Hand."
Arthur groaned. "Must I tell all that?" said he.
"Every word, or be indicted," said Robert Penfold, sternly.