“O, of course I feel all that. I am only lamenting that these accidents should have happened, and that, when we came for a certain purpose, we should have been unable to carry it out. And see how things have gone on. We are out of provisions, and have to lay in a stock of meal, and molasses, and pork.”
“I’m sure, meal makes very good food,” said Mr. Simmons. “Hot corn-cake is rather a delicacy, and molasses is very good to eat with it.”
“After all, I don’t care anything about these things,” continued Mr. Long. “What I do care about is the loss of the minerals.”
“O, they’re not lost.”
“Yes, they are. No one knows anything about them. No one has seen them. No one can find them. They’re lost, Mr. Simmons, beyond the possibility of redemption.”
“O, I hope not.”
“Well, I’m going to make a final search. Captain Pratt has asked every man, woman, and child in the place, but no one knows anything about them.. I’m now going to question every one over again. I’ve asked Captain Corbet already. He knows nothing. Captain Corbet, where’s the mate?”
“Sound asleep in the barn, sir.”
“Then I’ll go out and ask him.”
Captain Corbet went out with him, and after much trouble they roused the sleeper, who, however, could tell them nothing whatever about the stones.