"I gave it to him."
"That can be proved, for Mr. Gordon identified him as he came off the steamer at Bar Harbor," added Mr. Brooks.
"I don't deny it," said the captain, meekly.
"But where did you get the bill?" asked the squire.
Captain Chinks did not answer immediately. It was too humiliating to tell the whole truth, and the lawyer seemed to be very slow to comprehend it.
"I had no more notion of opening that letter than I had of flying," he said, at last, after the squire had repeated his question.
"Did you open it?"
"I'll tell you just how it was; but, upon my word, I didn't mean to open it. Bobtail came into your office that day with the two letters in his hand, one for you and one for me. He gave me one of them, and I tore it open without looking at the address."
"Did I give you the wrong one?" asked the skipper.
"You did; and that was what made all the mischief," answered the captain, wishing to lessen his guilt if possible.