“How so?”
“Why, don’t you know ’t the law gives an informer thirty-three per cent. of the value of the find? ’Course it does. All you’ve got to do is to notify the Custom House men of the find ’n’ they’ll do the rest.”
“You think it’s been landed here, don’t you?” asked Ben.
“Sure. It’s ben landed from the China steamers, sure’s you’re born! There couldn’t have ben a better place for ’em, if it had ben made on purpose. Prob’ly they muffled their oars ’fore they landed.”
“It isn’t ten minutes’ row from the steamers,” said Ben.
“No. Like as not the butcher, or some one like that, after the ship’s trade, is one of the gang. You’ve seen the flock of small boats that follow like gulls after a big ocean steamer?”
Ben nodded. He was stupefied with surprise. His good fortune seemed too good to be true.
“Tell you what, Ben, like as not those Custom House fellers’ll want to leave the stuff here and set a watch ter ketch the gang.”
“I don’t care what they do—if I can get the money.”
“You can’t b’lieve it yet, eh? I tell you, you’re jest as sure of that there money, as if you had it in your pocket this minute.”