Evening star., 1918-11-10
Hidden Treasure
T the first glance you would not
have imagined that the room

and Cap'n Tom Briggs. In the first
place, 1t did not reek with stale to-
bacco and the fumes of grog. although
plentiful tobacco was burned there
and plentiful grog was guzzled. The
only odor was the rather pleasant one
Of mild antiseptic, for a small boy
lay in the bed beside the south VIM
dow and the big mound beneath the
snowy counterpane was caused by the
plaster cast and pine box that con-
> Aned one Of his legs. He was a deli
cate little fellow, with slender, white
hands. and he liked best to sit prop
ped up in bed with drawing board
across his thighs and q pad of paper
ana his pencil box within easy reach,
for the days were long in which he
bad to remain there, waiting to see
IT the leg that he had supposed would
Always be lame might emerge from
the cast and the boy be lame no more.
Near the west window was q small
table. with few Walls, q tumbler in
which . thermometer reposed, and an
other tumbler full Of clear. cold water,
and near the table was q chair in
which one could almost always see
the trained nurse. in her crispy blue
And white stripes. but on the other
with rockers and soft cushion and
cushioned back, and q sewing bag
hung over ono arm and often, during
the day, the little boys grandmother
pat there, q gentle, sweet-faced old
lady with q short little curl hanging
before each ear and gold-rimmed
her hands-.as thin but not as smooth
- the boys hands-busy with some
bit Of old-lady work.
There were many other things in
the room. There were pictures such
as q boy likes on the walls. and q
an accumulation Of toys, and two
ferutches In q corner, and a hot-water
bottle on the shelf under the nurses
table. and an electric light fixture
near the head Of the bed, and q rug
on the door, and q pretty wall paper
one corner. and two more chairs, but
Of all the things in the room the
grandmother was the most impor-
tant. II was she who read the books
when the boy was not too tired to be
real !, y, boys books, and not wishy-washy
SO, IL you. knew no better you would
nave SAID the room was sick room
and that the little boy in the bed
was q sick boy, and that every
and, comfortable. and that no rough
old seadogs ever entered It. But ap-
for Cap'n Bill Dun and cap'n Tom
Briggs were there much Of the time,
and good. hearty. cursing old sea
The little boy put his pencil caro-
fully in his pencil box, closed the
box and pushed 1t away from him on
the counterpane. He had been draw
Ing linesand rough pictures on
be folded the paper carefully. only to
unfold It again. He frowned as he
!. "Biii. old tar" he said in his thin,
shiidish =; voice. whats this here
"Let me see It. dearie," said the
grandmother. adjusting her spectacles
and dropping her sewing in her lap.
the boy. Don't you remember? You
say. Why, bless my eyes. old feller!
Let me Cock an eye at 1t. Tom
"why bless my eyes, old fsller! Let
3ne cock an eye at It, Tom Briggs"
repeated the grandmother. She took
the sheet OF paper and held 1t before
hsr eyes; moving 4 back and forth
70 nov nS the yop propsr sey c1ssrnGs as y topsas
Tom Briggs. II this amt the map
we been looking for these twenty
years aback.' grandma"
!, "Yes. Tar my topsails II It amt,
Tom Briggs" said grandmother. IT'S
Bloody bones made. showing where
he hid the treasure he took from
what did he take it from this time,
"You must read IT," said the boy.
IN ths cssnsT Of Where OF fhs ha %ap eas
took from the galleon Golden Ind
Peg-Leg Bloodybones. pirate Of the
Spanish main read the grandmother.
That's right" said the boy. "And
blow my buttons. Cap'n Bill, II we
We been searching the Spanish main
for that treasure a-many years, and
never found trace Of it, and here we
run across the very map a-laying on
the table In this barroom. 1t do beat
all! Bartender. another glass of grog!"
The nurse handed the boy. the turn-
bier of water from her table and he
slipped 1t daintily.
"An old feller like me has to warm
his innards a bit when he has big
work on hand" said the boy. moth
ing like a glass of grog to set up old
Tom Briggs. When I get a swig Of
Grog in me ~, ready for anything
Sudt COHlcb. \ nduh yous uuTScs liza iS
al want now. And, now, Cap'n Bill.
let's to work"
my poor Md eyes are getting so
bad can hardly make out what you
draw any more, dearie," said Cap'n
Bill Duff. wiping her spectacles on her
lace edged handkerchief.
"I'll tell you what you can't see,"
said Tom Briggs. II can remember,
grandma. And, first OF. Bill, old
Teller, we got to get ship, and here