Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-28
OUR BOYS 5 )
and GIRLS : 5
THE TREASURE

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I Many years ago in the small town
70 Slaton, N. &C.. there lived a boy
named James Beck. His father was
a poor man who made his living by
fishing. One bright day the boy, then
10 years old, was wandering along
the coast, when he determined to ex-
plore an old wreck lying near the
ehore. and az he searched he came
upon an octagonal box.
Hello" James said to himself,
this looks queer; I'll open It." But
shere was nothing about by which he
could pry off the cover and he took
the box home and hid 1t between
cracks OF the cabin walls, saying
nothing about 1t to any one. Years
passed by and the family, then in bet
ter circumstances, had built another
house. After they had moved into it
the old log cabin was taken down, and
James, now young man, found the
0ctagonal box, which he had entirely
forgotten This time he smashed it
between two stones and drew out a
parchment on which was written:
"Thirteen feet east OF the sycamore
ut the crest OF Pitts Cape lies the
treasure OF Black Dan"
James was thunderstruck when ne
read the message. Was this man his
Ereat-gnndfather the notorious Alan
Deck. OF whom his father had told
him? This was certainly exciting, but
having becc me more composed. James
determined to ST 1w no one the me J.
rage, but to find he treasure or HIM
Helf. He knew that Pitts Cape was five
miles north and he took with him a
spade, a lantern and a measuring tape
and an old negro named Sam and he.
gan his search. He was disappointed
TO fnd not single sycamore on the
cape, tho he covered every foot of it.,
but coming upon stump, which he
thought might have been that OF a
sycamore tree. he measured thirteen
feet TO the east and fell to digging
He soon touched something hard
which proved to be another octagonal
BOX that contained a second message
ON parchment:
Removed treasure to Black Gap
one mile west, four feet north Of
largest oak.
BLACK DAN"
4 Then James gathered up every
thing and proceeded to Black Gap.
where he had no trouble to find the
largest oak. AS it was now getting
dark he lighted the lantern and com
inanded Sam to hold it, when he meas
Sred four feet north from the tree
end began to dig His reward was
nothing but another octagonal box,
hut this time the parchment message
read:
Removed treasure for the last time
70 the Cave OF Darkness 300 feet to
the left OF the oak. In the back OF
the cave large ring is attached to q
stone. Lift it and you will see the
treasure. BLACK DAN"
James now went to the cave--a
kmall one--whch he entered by
crawling on his stomach and when
once inside he found himself facing
two glazing eyes. These seemed,
however to be stationary, and as he
proceeded he saw that they were
really two diamonds used for the eyes
Of . poll parrot Just beneath Polly
she had probably been the pet Of the
'plrates--was the ring Black Dan had
mentioned. Pulling up the stone
James came upon large piece OF
parchment which he threw quickly
aside, for in plain sight was the
treasure chest. The lock was broken
in hurry, and the scene that met the
eye as the cover was thrown back
was indescribable! There were dia-
snonds, rubies, emeralds and other
precious stones, gold enough TO give
its possessor every luxury, and many
ether articles of great value. James
took the chest and the polly with the
diamond eyes home with him, and
then set out to read the parchment, on
which was written.
! 1.-THE STORY OF MY LIFE"
J. IT was born in the town Of Chatick,
Wales, and my father wanted me to
be a merchant. but had other notions
end I finally ran away to sea. After
being . common sailor for many years
was promoted to be mate and then
master Meanwhile had fallen into
bad ways with band of desperadoes
and I cast in my lot with them alto,
sether.
I'VE fitted out ship with large
stores, and set out to sea. Before many
days we met a Spanish merchantmen.
and when we commanded her to stop
aha AID m Wa hoa rded har. Sha Ind