[CHAPTER III.]
For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly unable to account for the singular discovery.
Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.
The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took it.
Where then was it?
Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite conclusion.
Weeks passed.
Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from the chest.