"Well, I guess you will do. Step back in his private room. He will have something to say to you before I cash this check."
Lost in wonder, Gas turned toward the room in which the president was occupied, and when he came out again he looked very unlike the boy who had gone in there a few moments before. He felt faint. The president had shown him the telegram, and, furthermore, it spoke about not arresting his father if he attempted to leave the village. That proved that his father had been guilty of a violation of the law. Hardly knowing what he did, he made his way home, blundered into the library, where his father was, and threw himself into the nearest chair.
"There's your check, father," said Gus, "and you can't have any more money. A telegram has come from San Francisco this morning, and it says the will is a fraud. You may not have touched the will, but you touched the codicil."
Mr. Layton settled back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. It was all out on him now.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CONCLUSION.
Never was there greater consternation exhibited by a lot of mutineers than was shown by the seven men on board the Boston when Captain Nellis set his foot upon the quarter-deck. He hadn't waited to receive any greeting at all from the men who had released him, but pushing them roughly aside sprang up the stairs that led to the place where he could breathe the air of freedom. But when he got to the deck he stopped. He gazed about him with an irresolute air, and then seeing Bob, who had worked his way around him to get an opportunity to look in his face, he stretched out his hands toward him; but before he could utter a sound he reeled and fell senseless to the deck. Bob jumped to his rescue at once, raised his head and placed it upon his knee, while the tears he could not repress coursed down his cheeks.
"What's to be done now?" he asked, looking up in the second mate's face.
"I don't know the first thing about navigation here," replied the officer. "Can you take the vessel out?"
"No, I cannot," replied Bob. "I never was at sea before in my life."
"Then we've got to wait for the captain; that's all there is about it. Catch hold of him, Ben, and we'll take him down and put him in his bunk."