St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-08-25
Selected Story
TREASURE TROVE.

II bit to draw his sleeve across his
veather-beaten face, which was
moist with perspiration.
Don't doubt it bit, Uncle SOL"
F1aughed Jack Belchers, who sat in
The stern sheets of the Whitehall
boat, sandpapering some mackerel
I iigs to a proper degree of brightness.
"Oh, YOU can laugh" responded
he old fisherman, locally known in
yarmouth, as Uncle Sol, ''but there's
more in dreams than folks think for,
In everybody in yarmouth knows
that Cap'n Kidd hid more'n one
xhist full of gold along on this here
Shore"
Il know some people so,' returned
ack lightly, but Uncle Sol, unheed-
ng the emphasized word, resumed
his rowing and went on:
IF you'n l, now, could only be
lucky enough to find it, Jack, think
4 of the good the money'd do u.s. l
wouldn't hev to fish fer Twin an
you could go ahead an finish your
schoolin' jest the same's though
Squire Belchers had left you his
property, as folks always caplated
he would do"
Jacks bright face clouded little.
Il never shall understand why my
adopted father did not make will
f. before he died" he responded !;
never, for he spoke of doing so very
Mfreelv the last time l was home on a
Vacation"
You don't s'pose, Jack" said
Skipper Maxwell, involuntarily low
ering his voice, that Squire Belchers
Il might "a made one after all, and
that air scaly brother of his-Law-
yer Belchers-got hold of it and had
it hid away
Nonsense" rather sharply inter
rupted Jack. Lawyer Belchers is
4 too shrewd to commit crime that
would send him to state prison. No,
that sort of thing is done in stories a
great deal oftener than in real lite. y
"Id believe anything that's bad Of
Thurston Belchers, or his boy either, y
the skipper returned persistently
"Member how mad folks said he
was" he continued, with glance
over his shoulder at distant sail
boat when the squire took you
home after your pa and ma was lost
to sea, and made no bones of tellin
here in yarmouth how he callatec
to adopt you, which he finally did p
Eyes, l remember hearing some
thing about it," was his careless re
ply.
The boat having reached its DIES
tination just outside the harbol
mouth, Skipper Maxwell drew in hi
oars and dropped the killock. Z
bucketful of chopped CLAIMS was uset
as bait, and they were soon finger
ing line in either hand, one at TIL
bow and the other in the stern
awaiting bite.
There they be-" muttered Uncl
Sol, dropping one line and pullin,
the other with the swift hand-over
hand motion peculiar to the rnacke1
ell catcher.
ME, too" exclaimed Jack, and TO
few moments the fishermen wer
busy enough pulling in mackerel a
fast as their hands could fly.
'Struck off again." observed Skip
per Maxwell, as once more the line
trended downward through the il
tense greenish black water. "Ther
the Spray bearing down to u.s." b
added and Jack involuntaril
frowned.
The Spray was the stanchest an
handsomest boat in yarmouth ha
Dor. Squire Belchers had her bui
for his adopted son only year b.
fore. But after his death no wi
was found, so his brother Thursto
as next of kin, took out letters of az
ministration and coolly limited t
lack that his room in the great oil
fashioned house, so long his hom
was better than his company.
lack had spoken his mind quit
freely both to Mr.. Belchers and BraC
ford, his son, a young fellow of Jack
age. Then, gathering up his clotl
ing, books and personal items, JAG
shook the dust off his feet, left tt
old house and took refuge for fe
days with Uncle Sam Maxwell, WI
lived in small one story house G
the edge of the shore.
Rather than be idle when he w;
laying plans for his future action
lack, dressed according to his wor
accompanied Uncle Sol down tt
harbor in his trips for the fresh Fl:
with which the latter supplied II
two summer hotels, which were ju
then full of visitors.
Bradford, or Brad, Belchers had
once taken possession of the Spra
and it was the sight of the your
man in a flannel boat suit steeril
the swiftly approaching boat,
which was gay party, that call
the frown to Jacks face.
Hes trying to show off his DO
sailin'," said the skipper contempt
ously, as at the sight of the SIN;
boat Brad hauled his wind al
headed directly for them.
"Say, you two fellows, got a
fish to sell" shouted Brad in