Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "What is done in ourcommunity about a slave who finds something and uses it before theterm which is set for finds has been reached, and that is a year, isthat it is against his person. Either his master gives the price ofwhat his slave has used, or he surrenders his slave to them ascompensation. If he withheld it until the term was reached which isset for finds and he used it, it is a debt against him which followshim and it is not against his person and there is nothing against hismaster in it."
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 36, Hadith 48