"Have you remembered that, Uncle Francis, now that you have slept upon it?"
The major looked across the table. Just for the moment he did not speak. Frank went on eagerly.
"Sometimes things that have dropped out of our memory come back to us in a dream. I have heard of instances. Did it chance so to you last night, uncle?"
"My dear boy, I dreamt that a great big shark with open jaws was running after me, and I could not get out of the water."
"Then—have you not recollected anything?"
"I fear not, Frank. I shall see as the day goes on."
But the day went on, and no recollection upon the point came back to Major Raynor. He "slept upon it" a second night, and still with the same result.
"I am very sorry, my boy," he said, grasping Frank's hand at parting, as they stood alone together on the grass-plot for a moment. "Goodness knows, I'd tell you if I could. Should the remembrance come to me later—and I dare say it will: I don't see why it should not—I'll write off at once to you at Trennach. Meanwhile, you may safely count on one thing—that the sum's a good one."
"You think so?" said Frank.
"I more than think so; I'm next door to sure of it. It's in the thousands. Yes, I feel certain of that."