"But I want to talk to you about that pearl you found a few days ago," said Sam, desperately. "I know something about it that you had better listen to."
Hank was so amazed to find out that the discovery of his pearl, which he had so carefully guarded from the knowledge of all persons in the village, had become known, that for a moment he stopped; but remembering that he was now looking for Bob Nellis, he kept on his way by replying that to-morrow would do just as well. The clerk stood and looked at him, and then turned about and went into the store and busied himself in dusting off the counters.
"He thinks more of Bob than he does of that pearl," said Sam to himself. "I was in hopes he would come back when I told him that, and if he had, what would I have said to him? I must make up something. So Bob has gone off to sea, has he? I never heard of a fellow who was kidnapped coming back again."
Sam went on dusting the counters, and as he worked his thoughts were busy with that pearl, and never once reverted to the news he had concerning Bob. Any boy who lived on the sea-coast was liable to be kidnapped and sent off, but it was not every day that a fellow found a pearl worth two hundred dollars. For be it known that Sam had thought and dreamed about this matter so much that he had about decided to leave the store and go to hunting pearls. Any how, it did not take very much to bring him to some conclusion on that point.
When his employer came down Sam told him about Bob, and was utterly amazed to see the way he took it to heart. The jeweller could not believe it at first, and required his clerk to go over it again until he learned all about it.
"I am very glad indeed that his father isn't here to know about it," said he, walking up and down the store. "He promised his father that he would not by any means go to sea, and now he has become a sailor in spite of himself. I'll tell you what's a fact, Sam: There is somebody in this town that knows all about it."
"That's what I have said all along," replied Sam, who at that moment forgot that he had said nothing at all about it. "I believe Barlow knows something about it."
"I don't know whether he does or not; but when Mr. Gibbons starts in he is going to find something out. I tell you, lynching is too good for a man who will slip upon another and send him to sea. My goodness, I think I should die if such a trick were played upon me."
Mr. Vollar put on his hat and went out to see what other folks thought of it, and Sam was left alone. He was left alone for almost the forenoon, in fact, for when the jeweller came back it was to report that Barlow had been before the justice, and that all the attempts to gain anything from him were useless.
"I've got the idea, from something Gibbons said, that he is going to take Mr. Layton down there," said Mr. Vollar.