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nd his client were placed beyond a doubt； and he himself was good authority； for he was Robert Stebbins； the witness who had sworn to having returned the pocket…book and the accompanying documents to the plaintiff； as their rightful owner； he now confessed that he had perjured himself for a heavy bribe； but stood ready to turn state's evidence； and reveal all he knew of the plot。 Those papers had actually been placed in his care thirteen years since by his own brother； Jonathan Stebbins； who had died of small…pox in an hospital at Marseilles。 This brother had been a favourite companion of William Stanley's from his first voyage； they had shipped together in the Jefferson； and before sailing； Stanley had placed a package of papers and other articles； for safe…keeping； in an old chest of Stebbins's； which was left with the sailor's mother in Massachusetts。 They were wrecked in the Jefferson on the coast of Africa； as had been already reported； but they were not drowned； they both succeeded in reaching the shore； having lashed themselves to the same spar。 It was a desert； sandy coast； and they were almost starved after having reached the land； their only shelter was a small cave in a low ledge of rocks near the beach； they fed upon half…putrid shell…fish thrown upon the sands by the gale； and they drank from the pools of rain…water that had formed on the rock during the storm； for they had saved nothing from the wreck but a sealed bottle； containing their protections as American sailors； some money in an old glove； and a few other papers。 William Stanley had been ill before the gale； and he had not strength to bear up against these hardships； he declined rapidly； and aware that he could not live； the young man charged his companion； if he ever returned to America； to seek his family； relate the circumstances of his death； and show the papers in the bottlean old letter to himself； and within it the notice of his father's marriage； which he had cut from a paper； obtained from an American vessel spoken on the voyageand also the package left on shore in the old chest； as these documents would be considered testimonials of his veracity。 He farther charged Stebbins to say that he asked his father's forgiveness； acknowledging that he died repenting of his past misconduct。 The third day after the gale the young man expired； and Stebbins buried him in the sand near the cave。 The survivor had a hard struggle for life； the rain…water had soon dried away； and he set out at night in search of a spring to relieve his thirst； still keeping in sight of the shore。 As the morning sun rose； when all but exhausted； he discovered on the beach several objects from the wreck； which had drifted in that direction； the wind having changed after the gale。 He found a keg of spirits and some half…spoiled biscuit； and by these means his life was prolonged。 He made a bag of his shirt； bound a few things on his back； and buried others in the sand； to return to if necessary； and then continued to follow the shore northward； in search of some spring or stream。 Fortunately； he soon came to a woody tract which promised water； and climbing a tree he watched the wild animals； hoping to discover where they drank； at length； following a flock of antelopes； he came suddenly upon the bank of a stream of some size； and to his unspeakable joy； saw on the opposite bank a party of white men； the first human beings he had beheld since Stanley's death； they proved to be Swedes belonging to a ship in the offing； and immediately took him into their boat。 The vessel was bound to Stockholm； where she carried young Stanley's shipmate； from there he went to St。 Petersburgh； where he met with the brother who related his story to Hazlehurst； and both soon after enlisted in the Russian navy。 They were sent to the Black Sea； and kept there and in the Mediterranean for five years； until the elder brother； Jonathan Stebbins； died of small…pox in a hospital at Marseilles； having never returned to America since the wreck of the Jefferson。 Before his death； however； he left all his effects and William Stanley's papers to his brother。 This man； Robert Stebbins； seemed to have paid very little attention to the documents； it was by mere chance that he preserved the old letter； and the marriage notice within it； for he confessed that he had torn up the protection； once when he wanted a bit of paper： he had never known William Stanley himself； the inquiries about the young man had ceased before he returned to America； and he had attached no importance whatever to these papers。 He had left them where they had first been placed； in the old sea…chest at his mother's house； near New Bedford； while he led the usual wandering life of a sailor。 He told Harry that he had at last quite forgotten this package； until he accidentally fell in with a man calling himself William Stanley； at a low tavern； only some five or six years since； and； to his amazement； heard him declare he had been wrecked in the Jefferson。
｛〃protection〃 = a paper testifying to the American citizenship of a seaman； carried to protect him against being forced into the British Navy as an Englishman。 Stebbins' survival reflects descriptions of a shipwreck on the Atlantic coast of North Africa in James Fenimore Cooper's 〃Homeward Bound〃 （1838）｝
〃The fellow was half…drunk；〃 said Stebbins； 〃but I knew his yarn was a lie all the time； for I had sailed with him in another ship； at the time my brother Jonathan was wrecked in the Jefferson。 He shipped then under the name of Benson； but I knew his real name was Edward Hopgood〃
〃Edward Hopgood！〃 exclaimed Harry； passing his hand over his forehead〃 surely I have heard that name before。 Wait a moment；〃 he added； to Stebbins； while he endeavoured to recollect why that name； singular in itself； had a familiar sound to him。 At length his eye brightened； the whole matter became more clear； he recollected when a mere child； a year or two before Mr。 Stanley's death； while staying at Greatwood during a vacation； to have heard of the bad conduct of a young man named Edward Hopgood； a lawyer's clerk in the adjoining village； who had committed forgery and then run away。 The circumstances had occurred while Harry was at Greatwood； and had been so much talked of in a quiet； country neighbourhood； as to make a decided impression on himself； child as he was。 Harry also remembered to have heard Mr。 Stanley tell Mr。 Wyllys that this Hopgood was very distantly related to himself； through the mother； who had made a very bad connexion； adding； that this lad had been at Greatwood； and would have been assisted by himself； had he not behaved very badly； and done so much to injure his own son that he had been forbidden the house。 Harry farther remembered； that Clapp had belonged to the same office from which this Hopgood had run away。 There was； however； one point which he did not understand； he thought he had since heard that this Hopgood had turned actor； and died long since of yellow…fever； at New Orleans。 Still； he felt convinced that there was a good foundation for Stebbins's story； and he hoped soon to unravel the whole plot； from the clue thus placed in his hands。
〃Go on；〃 said Harry； after this pause。 〃You say this man； whom you knew to be Hopgood； called himself William Stanley。 What became of him？〃
〃It is the same chap that hoisted your colours； Mr。 Hazlehurst； him that the jury gave the verdict to in Philadelphia。〃
〃Yes； I knew it must be the same individual before you spoke；〃 said Harry； with a view to keep his informant accurate。 〃But how did you know that his name was Hopgood？ for you say he had shipped under another。〃
〃I knew it because he had told me so himself。 He told me how he had run away from a lawyer's office in Pennsylvany； gone to New Orleans and turned play…actor a while； then shammed dead； and had his name printed in the papers among them that died of yellow…fever。 He told me all that in his first voyage； when we were shipmates； and that was just the time that my brother Jonathan was wrecked in the Jefferson。〃
〃When you afterwards heard him say he was William Stanley； did you tell him you knew his real name？〃
〃Yes； I told him I knew he lied； for my brother had buried Stanley with his own hands； and that I had his papers at home。 Then he told me； he was only laughing at the green…horns。〃
〃Did you mention to any one at the time that you knew this man was not William Stanley？〃
〃No； sir； for I didn't speak to him until we were alone； and we parted company next morning； for I went to sea。〃
〃When did you next see Hopgood？〃
〃Well； I didn't fall in with him again for a long while； until this last spring。 When I came home from a voyage to China in the Mandarin； last May； I went to my mother's； near New Bedford； and then I found a chap had been to see her in the winter； and persuaded her to give him all the papers in the old chest； that had belonged to William Stanley； making out he was one of the young man's relations。 It was that lawyer Clapp； and Hopgood had put him on the track of them 'ere papers。〃
〃What were the documents in your chest？〃
〃Most of what they had to show came from me： to be sure； Hopgood had got some letters and papers； written to himself of late years u