Boys,
we've found the fortune anyhow, in spite of the fellows who
looted the gold boxes!"
There was no doubt about it. There were all the papers--the
certificates of shares, the partnership agreement and other
documents--to show that Mary's uncle was a rich man. The wreck of
the Pandora held a fortune after all.
"How do you account for Hardleys acts?" asked Ned of his chum.
"Well, there are several explanations. I think we may be
certain that he knew these papers were aboard the Pandora, for he
must have intrusted them to the purser himself when he made a
trip on the ship. When she sank he had not time to get them to
take with him."
"He either knew then, or found out later, that the vessel
carried, or was supposed to carry, a large amount of gold. He may
have been honestly mistaken in thinking it was two millions. In
any case he was playing safe, for he only promised me half if the
treasure was found. He could have claimed this box as his
property, and that is probably what he was after from the
beginning. He was using me as a cat's paw, so to speak.
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