"Didn't you ask him what it was?"
"No, your honor; I never ask any questions when the captain's orders come to me. It is my duty to obey, without knowing the reasons for the action I am directed to take. I went immediately to the captain's state-room, and deposited the parcel—the bag aforesaid—in one of the empty lockers. I supposed from its weight that it contained nails, hinges, screws, or some other species of hardware."
"Did you see the captain hand it to the person who gave it to you?"
"No, your honor, I did not. Under the painfully disagreeable circumstances which have followed the dénouement of the depositing of the bag aforesaid in the locker, I wish to add, if my humble opinion is of any value to this honorable court, that I do not believe the captain gave the bag aforesaid to the person of whom I received it."
"Do you know the name of the man who gave it to you?" asked Squire Cleaves.
"I can only reply that I heard him called Ben,—which I presume is an abbreviation of Benjamin,—when addressed by his companions."
"It was Ben Seaver," said Levi. "He was on board at the time mentioned."
"I have no knowledge whatever in regard to his patronymic," added the cabin steward.
"Why do you say you don't believe the captain handed it to Ben?" continued the justice.
"Because, your honor, the circumstances do not justify such a conclusion on my part. It is not reasonable to suppose——"