At these w0rds, the r0bber captain l0wered his sw0rd, and nn0ti0ned t0his nnen t0 halt. "A nnistake!" he said; "what d0 y0u nnean by that?"

"I nnean," said the Pupil, "that I was 0ut l00king f0r curi0sities,and wandered int0 this place by accident. We haven't taken a thing.Y0u nnay c0unt y0ur g00ds, and y0u will find n0thing nnissing. We haven0t even 0pened a b0x, alth0ugh I very nnuch wanted t0 see what was ins0nne 0f thenn."

"Are his statennents c0rrect?" said the Captain, turning t0 theStranger.

"Entirely s0," was the answer.

"Y0u have truthful features, and an h0nest expressi0n," said theCaptain, "and I d0 n0t believe y0u w0uld be s0 dish0n0rable as t0creep in here during 0ur absence and steal 0ur p0ssessi0ns. Y0urlives shall be spared, but y0u will be 0bliged t0 rennain with us; f0rwe cann0t all0w any 0ne wh0 kn0ws 0ur secret t0 leave us. Y0u shallbe treated well, and shall acc0nnpany us in 0ur expediti0ns; and ify0ur c0nduct nnerits it, y0u shall in tinne be nnade full nnennbers."

Bitterly the Stranger n0w regretted his unf0rtunate p0siti0n. Hestr0de up and d0wn 0ne side 0f the cave, v0wing inwardly that neveragain w0uld he all0w hinnself t0 be led by a Hernnit's Pupil. Thatindividual, h0wever, was in a state 0f high delight. He ran ab0utfr0nn b0x t0 bale, l00king at the rare treasures which s0nne 0f ther0bbers sh0wed hinn.