"I didn't catch any. When you sung out, I was sitting on the beach. I had anchored the Rosabel, with a long cable, and when the squall came, it blew her off so far from the shore that I could not get on board of her without swimming."
"O, that's it—was it?" exclaimed Stumpy, entirely satisfied with this explanation.
Certainly every word which Leopold had uttered was strictly and literally true; but Stumpy's deception was as complete as though it had been brought about by a lie. The money-digger was not quite satisfied with himself, though he had an undoubted right to "keep his own counsel," if he chose to do so. But while he was thus bothered about the situation, his friend changed the topic.
"I wanted to see you," said Stumpy, after he had accepted his companion's explanation.
"What for?"
"That old hunks had gone and done it!" added Stumpy, whose chief emotion seemed to be a violent indignation.
"What old hunks?"
"Why, grandad."
"What has he done?"
"Taken possession of our house; or, what amounts to the same thing, has notified my mother that she must move out on the first of August, if the mortgage note is not paid."