Cruise of the Esmeralda

"It is very curious," I remarked, when my mother had brought her narrative to a conclusion--"very curious, and very interesting. But what you have related only strengthens my previous conviction, that the document or documents no longer exist. I have very little doubt that, if the truth could only be arrived at, it would be found that Richard Saint Leger kept the papers concealed somewhere about his clothing, and that they were buried with him."

"No; that was certainly not the case," rejoined my mother; "for it is distinctly stated that--probably to obviate any such possibility--Hugh Sa