ation of the problem, until you discovered that the great wall of cliffs was honeycombed with fissures. The limestone rock of which the island was composed was porous as a sponge. You c

y voyage of discovery. This yielded the information above set down, plus, however, the thrilling and significant fact that a cave seemingly predestined to be the hiding

er under the point turned all thoughts from further explorations. Only the Scotchman remained exasperatingly calm and declined to admit that the treasure was as good as found. He r

a likely and convenient place for hiding the chest; the question is: Wouldn't it be too likely and convenient? Sampson wo

nd Mr. Tubbs came to the fore with an offer to clinch matters by discovering the grave of

your tombstone is neither more nor less than such a boulder as there are thousan

not discovered the South Pole, and Aunt Jane murmured back that to her there had always been something so sa

class. Why, the Old Man himself used to remark-I guess it ain't news to some here about me bein' on the inside with most of the leadin' financial lights of the country-he used to remark, 'Tubbs has it in him to bull t

ind that the treasure is not in the cave. But I'll admit it is as good a place as any for beginning the search, an

The walls of the chamber rose sheer to a height of fifteen feet or more, when a broad ledge broke their smoothness. From this ledge opened cracks and fissures under the roof, suggesting in the dim light infinite possibilities in the way of hiding-places. Besides these, a wide stretch of sand at the upper end of the chamber, which was bare at low tide, invited exploration. At high water the sea flooded the cavern to its farthest extremity and beat upon the walls. Then there was a great surge and roar of waters thro

shadow would darken the water, and you saw the ripple cut by a darting fin and the flash of a livid belly as the monster rolled over, ready for his mouthful. I could not but admire the thoughtfulness of

bbs and his two companions-for he was accompanied in these daring explorations with unswerving fidelity by Aunt Jane and Miss Higglesby-Browne. Each of

s!" Aunt Jane said to me with emotion. "With no protection

old sow with a litter of piglets, before wh

animous effort to attach me to the umbrella contingent, and I had felt almost disposed to accept, in order to witness the resultant delight of Miss Higglesby-Browne. But on second thoughts I declined, even thoug

nuts and bananas and oranges from the trees in the clearing. I had hopes of yams and breadfruit also, but if they grew on Leeward none of us had a speaking acquaintance with them. Cookie did

kling before Mr. Tubbs. "Tendah as a new-bo'n babe, he am. Jes' lak he been tucked up to

the Land Forces formed a solid and imposing phalanx. Everybody else had a sense of sitting in outer darkness, particularly I, whom fate had placed opposite Captain Magnus. Since landing on the island, Captain Magnus had fo

license, he did not appear to be an Englishman. None of us ever knew, I think, from what country he originally came. His rough, mumbling, unready speech might have been picked up in any of the seaports of the English-speaking

and sail around the Horn to the island. While nursing this project she had formed an extensive acquaintance with persons frequenting the New York water-front, among whom was Captain Magnus. As I heard her remark, he was the one nautical charac

ounger of two sons, and that the elder was an invalid, so that the beautiful youth was quite certain in the long run to be Lord Grasmere. I had remained stolid under this information, feelingly imparted by Aunt Jane. I had refused to ask questions about High Staunton Manor. For already there was a vast amount of superfluous chaperoning being done. I couldn'

ing you! or whatever the English of that is, it was because nobody could so wound the faith in the b. y.'s candid eyes. But to see the fluttering, anxious wing the Scotchman tried to spread over that babe of

nderful tropic night came down, we used to build a little fire upon the beach and sit around it. Then Cuthbert Vane would sing. Of all his repertory, made up of music-hall ditties, American ragtime, and sweet old half-forgotten ballads, we liked best a certain wild rollickin

ith me for the fre

th me for to sail t

t we have go

we though the

hey, this li

free as a

with me at Fortun

a-and ashore with

course for t

plate-galleons

hey, this li

t free as a

cold to the lubber

h gold, and we're t

ift death is t

e game and we'l

hey, this li

t free as a

ad finished his work we would invite him to join us at the fire and regale us with plantation melodies and camp-meeting hymns. The negro's melodious thunder mingled with the murmur of wind and w

ward Island might rapidly b