The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1893-12-21
TREASURE TROVE.

AOA nv
81 dreamed about that buried
treasure again last night, Jack, said
old skipper Maxwell, resting his oars
a bit to draw his sleeve across his
weather -heaten face, which was
moist with perspiration.
Don't doubt it a bit, Uncle SOL"
laughed Jack Belchers, who sat in
the stern sheets of the Whitehall
boat, ~sandpapering some mackerel
jigs to a proper degree OF bright
ness
'Oh, you can laugh" responded
the old fisherman locally known in
yarmouth as Uncle Sol; ''but there's
more in dreams than folks think for,
and everybody in yarmouth knows
that Captain Kidd hid more than n
chist full of gold along on this here
shore"
II know some people say So" re-
turned Jack, lightly.
But Uncle Sol, unheeding the
words, resumed his rowing and went
on
IF you and l, now, could only be
SO lucky as to find it, Jack, think OF
the good the money would do US! L
wouldn't have to fish for a living,
and you could 60 ahead and finish
( your schooling jest the same as
though Squire Belchers had left you
his property, as folks always calcu-
lated he would do"
Jacks face clouded a little.
Il never shall understand why my
adopted father did not make a will
before he died; for he spoke of doing
so very freely the last time l was
home on my vacation" he said.
"You don't suppose, Jack" said
the old skipper, involuntarily lower
ing his voice, that Squire Belchers
might have made one after all, and
that scaly brother Of his-Lawyer
Belchers-got hold Of it and hid it
away"
NONSENSE" interrupted Jack,
rather sharply. LAWYER Belchers is
too shrcwd to commit a crime that
would send him to State Prison, no,
that sort of thing is done in stories a
great deal oftener than in real life"
I'D belieye anything bad OF Thurs
ton Belchers, or Of his son either"
the skipper returned persistently.
sRemember how mad folks said he
was when the Squire took you home
after your pa and ma was lost at sea,
and made no bones of telling here in
yarmouth how he calculated to adopt
you, which he finally did?"
Eyes, L remember hearing some
thing about it, was the carele,S re.
ply.
The boat having reached its dcsti-
nation just outside the harbor mouth,
Skipper Maxwell drew in his oars and
dropped the killOck. A bucketful OF
chopped clans was used as tait, and
very soon they were lingering a line in
either hand, one at the bow and the
other at the stern, awaiting a bite.
"There they be-" muttered Uncle
Sol. dropping one line inc pulling the
other with the swift hand over hand
motion peculiar to the mackerel
catcher.
rMe. too,p exclaimed Jack, and for
Few moments the fishermen were
busy enough pulling in mackerel as
fast as their hands could fly.
Struck off agin," observed the
skipper, as once more the lines
trended downward through the in
tense greenish-black water. There's
the Spray bearing down on u.s." he
added
Jack frowned invoiuntarily.
The Spray was the staunchest and
hands0mest boat in yarmouth harbOr.
Squire Belchers had her built for his
adopted son only three years before.
But after his ueath no will was found;
SO his brother Thurston, the next of
kin, took letters OF administration,
aud coolly limited to Jack that his
room in. the great old-fashioned house,
so long his home, was better than his
company.
Jack had spoken his mind very
freely both to Mr.. Belchers and his
O Bradford-a young fellow about
Jacks age. Then, gathering up his
clothing, books, and personal belong
ings, Jack shook the dust of his feet,
left the old house and took refuge