Captain Steele turned to the housekeeper.
“What have you to say, Mrs. Ranck?” he asked.
“It’s all a pack o’ lies,” she snarled, “but there’s no call for you to believe me if you don’t want to. One thing’s certain, though. This is my house, an’ the deed of it’s in my name. You’ll have to clear out o’ here, all three of you, or I’ll have the law on you an’ put you out!”
Captain Steele arose calmly and seized the woman by her arms. In spite of her screams and struggles he carried her to his own little room and thrust her in, locking the door safely upon her.
“Now,” said he, “let’s explore the place and see what we can find. I’ve never been in Mrs. Ranck’s room, for until today I had no suspicions of her. Come with me. If she’s honest we shall find nothing, for she can’t have disposed of the property.”
“Right you are, sir,” cried Uncle Naboth, springing up; and we all three at once proceeded to enter the room the housekeeper had for so many years reserved for her own use.
It was simply and plainly furnished, and a single glance served to convince us that it contained no evidence whatever of the missing property.
[Illustration: “Here’s the treasure house, sir,” he exclaimed triumphantly.]
“Strange!” said my father, musingly. “There were nine cases and three chests, besides the great sea-chest that I found still in my room, although emptied of all its contents. Whatever could have become of them all?”
“Dad,” I exclaimed, suddenly, “I remember there used to be a sort of cellar under this room, that could only be reached by a trap-door.”
“True,” replied my father; “I remember that, too. But where is the trap?”
Uncle Naboth was already making a careful inspection of the old rag carpet that covered the floor. In one corner the tacks seemed far apart and scanty. He seized the carpet and jerked it away from the fastenings, disclosing a small square trap with an iron ring in the center.
“Here’s the treasure house, sir,” he announced triumphantly.
“Get a candle, Sam,” said my father, gravely.
When it was brought, all three of us descended the narrow stairs to the underground room, where the cases and chests were speedily found, all stored in orderly fashion against the walls. The contents of the great sea chest, which she had doubtless removed before admitting me to the Captain’s room, had been placed in boxes which Mrs. Ranck had secured from the grocery store. In addition to Captain Steele’s property, there was also a brass kettle almost full of gold and silver coins, which the miserly old woman had saved from the money my father had given her to clothe and care for me, as well as to defray the household expenses while the sailor was away upon his voyages.