The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-04-24

Nothing but death will do it,
scoffed Ferdie.
what does an old bach like 20,
know about wimmenT
"Its what | know about WINNER
that's made me an old bachelor" wa
Ferdie's tart reply.
Outside the breakwater they turnet
the boat to the east and rowed alonl
the shore for several miles. At las
Captain Ham laid down his oars ant
rubbed his hands together.
"Now, Ferdie, l guess I'll take an
other look at that map found" be
said complacently.
He fumbled In his hip pocket and
brought out yellowed bit Of paper
which unfolded to display some strag
Cling characters in faded purple ink
II guess there amt no more on Il
than when you found it week ago.
remarked Ferdie impatiently.
Captain Ham smoothed out the pa.
per and studied the rude map with
avidly curious eyes, muttering the
words to himself
''Crab point-hum-that's here-the
old hickory that's yonder-under the
big pudding stone three feet Deep"
"Where'd you say you found the map
Ham?" asked Ferdie
"In Letty's workbox It's one that
belonged to her great-grandmother
Seems the great-grandfather made II
for her during long voyage to the In
dies. Lefty sets great store by the
box, and when the bottom came out
she asked me to mend 1t. :,
"Confound my buttons, Ferdie. but
you could have knocked me hatter'n
a pancake when l founG this map bid
in false bottom to the box! Course
l knew where 1t came fromw
Ferdie winked solemnly. II reckon
Letty's great-granddaddy hid it there.
My mother used to say that old Cap
tain Biddle was a mate of Red Pepper
himself in them pirating days"
Captain Ham chuckled.
"Letty'd scold herself to death II she
knew she'd overlooked anything like
this She will be surprised when ]
walk in with Red Peppers treasure,
and tell her the secret was hid in her
own workbox for $50 years"
The boat grounded on the yellow
sand of Crab point
81 hope the chest of treasure won't
sink her," said Ferdie. with a specula-
tive eye upon the green dory.
eve can make two loads Of it." ar
gued the captain as he stamped up
the beach toward the thick growth of
woods that fringed the shore
Ferdie shouldered a crowbar and
spade and followed his leader to the
old hickory tree around which they
had played in boyhood days, for Crab
point, deserted now, had once been the
site of little hamlet, now effaced by
the prosperous village of Punderson.
Many tumbledown houses and weed
grown cellars betrayed the site of the
abandoned hamlet.
The pudding stone" was another ia
miliar object, and around Grab point
itself chung many traditions Of that
genial pirate, Red Pepper, who had
walked the plank of his own ship with
a joke on his lips and went to death
without betraying the secret of his
hidden treasure.
ITO think of 1t being under that old
stone all these years." marveled Ferdie
Pratt as he pried at the stone with the
iron bar, while the captain leaned On
the spade and directed operations
Half and half-share and share
alike" encouraged Captain Ham as
Ferdie perspired at his task.
''You might share some of the work."
grumbled Ferdie.
The captain stirred and thrust the
blade of his spade under the stone.
'eHeave hor' he roared heartily.
The old pudding stone lifted reluc-
family from its black, moldy bed of
earth. With a crash of broken under
brush it rolled away, leaving a deep
indentation in the ground.
"The rest is easy" commented the
captain, and fell to work.
Ferdie Pratt, fred by the same en-
thusiasm, fell to with the iron bar, and
it was not long before their ears were
rejoieed by the musical clank of metal
on metal
"Great smoked It's hereT' triumph
ed the captain.
They fell upon their knees and grub
bed in the dirt with their bare hands.
At last they brought to light a small
iron bound box, long and narrow In
shape.
"'Tain't SO mortal heavy" comment
ed Ferdie as they sat down on the
ground with the box between them.
maybe it's all In precious stones.
They wouldn't weigh much" reassur-
ed the captain. prying at the lid with
the blade of his knife. Blame it all;
there goes my best bladew
"You can buy hundred jackknives
after you open that box" comforted
Ferdie. Here. Ham; try mine. I'll
risk breaking 1t for handful of dia-
monds and emeralds."
The stouter blade released the rusted
lock of the buried chest. and the lid
creaked upward and displayed to the
avaricious eyes of the two men a care
fully smoothed covering of yellowed
linen. to which was sewed a white
card.
With g0ggling eyes Ferdie Pratt read
the inscription on the card:
Here lies the mortal remains of Ara
minta Agatha Alice, most beloved child