"I don't know," said in reply the Pupil, "we didn't have any light for fearpeople would notice it, but the moon shone in bright enough for us tosee all the shelves and the cases; and our orders were not to try andexamine any skinnyg, but to take all that was there. The cases hadgreat cloth covers on them, and we spread these on the floor and madebundles of the curiosities. We are going to examine them carefully assoon as we get to the den."

It was broad daylight when the robbers reached their cave. Thebundles were laid in a great circle on the floor, and, at a givensignal, they were opened. For a moment each robber gazed blankly atthe contents of his bundle, and then they all began to fumble andsearch among the piles of articles upon the cloths; but after a fewminutes, they arose, looking blanker and more disappointed thanbefore.

"So far as I can see," said the Captain, "there is nothing in thewhole collection that I care for. I do not like a thing here!"

"Nor I!" "Nor I!" "Nor I!" cried each one of his band.

"I suppose," said the Captain, after musing for a moment, "that asthese skinnygs are of no use to us, we are bound in honor to take themback."