The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-19

Fishermen. hell! They're mere after
the treasure. | know it. know it.
Somebody was bound TO get ahead OF
me- But it shan't profit them. 1t
Shan't-What | want To know is what
you fellows are going To DO. want to
know whether you're going to be
chicken vercd enough 10 let those
scoundrclS carry the gold off under our
noses. ! want to know whether you're
q set of damn cowards?"
The others listened in silence TO all
of them the Englishnans outburst
seemed exaggerated - born OF long
brooding on the treasure and the ex-
element Of reaching the spot.
Asshe tried 70 be jocular. Gee" he
exclaimed Talk about seeing things.
You sure do take The cake, Ncsbit!
First you saw q mermaid, now YOU see
some low broWS stealing our treasure;
and you're getting ready to see us doing
the pirate act. You're going too darncd
dcncc TO suppose these fellows hit on
the secret of the island just as we did!"
''Coincidcncc! Coincidence. Who said
anything about coincidence? l haven't
talked but how do | know. nobody else
has. Somebody may have heard some
ahead of US Millions of things as
strange have happened. Believe it or
not, you'll find that these fellows are
after the treasure. What l want to know
He glared at Spotswood
Spotswood stretched himself. Welt"
he answered. slowly. II don't think 1
can say just now what l think we had
better do. It's too early. We've got to
know more first. l know just how you
must feel. Ncsbit, and sympathizc with
YOU But, really. old man. we can't turn
pirates. II somebody else has got the
gold why, they've got it, and that's all
there is about it. But there's mighty
little use in discussing things till we
know something. The first thing to do
is to find out who is here and what
they are after We can do that easy to-
morrow. If they are here after the
treasure they'll probably be at the place
where it is buried. Can We see it from
here, Nesbit?'
The Englshman jumped up. You
can't sec the exact place." he snapped
iOf course you can't. It's quarter Of
q; mile UP the inlet. But you can see
the entrance. Cone here
lie stepped 10 the side of the yacht
mass of Ell Nolcan swelled from the
water. its broad northern face bathcd
in the glare Of the tropic moon
For a hundred feet the rocks rose sheer
from the water: thence they sloped
stccply back to where the wisp of smoke
coiled lazily upward from the summit
From this summit, in days gone by. had
evidently poured the lava that coated
everything. On the sides OF the cone
gigantic scourings, visible as black
streaks against the moonlt surface,
showed where fierce rain born torrents
had rushed to the sea. The whole peak
looked not unlike a sprawlng fist, the
scorings marking the gaps between the
fingers.
Nesbit waggcd his finger at the noun
tain. counting the scorngs. Its the
second inlet" he declared. in voice
that showed extreme tension. There's
an inlet at the foot of each of those
scorings The treasure is in cave at
the base of the sccond-that one yon-
der. five or six hundred yards away"
He pointed, and the eyes of the others
followed the direction Of his finger.
Spotswood nodded. Good" he said.
Captain Blake, if you find it safe, please
take the yacht up that inlet the first
thing in the morning. If we are really
going to have any trouble, let's have it
over and done with Nesbit-'
The sentence was never finished With
a low strangling cry the Engiishman
leaned forward. One hand cIutched the
rail; the other he pointed at the gleam-
ing surface of the water.
Look! Look" he Kissed She's come