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 but it's a good long while ago. What happened to the ship! Was n't she set on fire, or something!"

"Nobody knows. She just disappeared."

"Oh, yes, that was it! I was confusing her with another craft. The Hatteras—let me see now—"

Captain Grummitt scratched his head vigorously, an action which always seemed to assist his memory.

"Blow me if that was n't the boat there was a reward offered for," he said at length, his mind leaping back over the years. "But I don't just recall if ever she was found."

"Never," said Tempest. "There is n't a man living to-day can say for a fact what happened to her or to any one on board, except perhaps Dave, and what he knows does n't amount to much, but it's curious."

Several pairs of eyes were turned on the boy in surprise.