"That I didn't," growled the old fellow. "It was that brute bit at my helmet. Has he made any marks?"

"Yes," said Mr Parkley, lifting up the bright copper headpiece, and examining the couple of curves of sharply defined scratches which had been made by the monster's teeth.

"Then you should have left me alone," growled Rasp. "I should have killed that chap if I could have got my knife out of the sheath."

"And could you not?" said Dutch.

"No. It's a sticking fast in the sheath there, and--. Who's took it out?" he growled, feeling his side. "Why, I must ha' dropped it."

The bright blade could be seen lying below, and Rasp stood grumbling and wondering how it could have happened, ending with whispering to Dutch.

"I ain't afeard on the beggars, but don't let out as I was took aback.

I worn't ready, you know; that's how it was."

Dutch nodded a.s.sent, and the subject dropped, for Rasp pulled a couple of large and two small lumps of sh.e.l.ly matter from his pocket, the weight of which instantly told Mr Parkley that they were ingots in the same condition as the first.

There was no doubt now about the treasure having been found, and the question discussed was whether it would be better to try and get rid of the sand by blasting, or try the slower and more laborious plan of digging it away.

This last was decided on, especially as, by blasting away the sand, the silver ingots to a great extent might be cast away with the covering.

Besides which, the position of the schooner was so satisfactory that the captain was averse to its being moved, and wished, if possible, to retain it where it was. Tackle was rigged up, then, with iron buckets attached to ropes, and the afternoon was spent by Dutch and Rasp in turn in filling the buckets, which were then drawn up by the sailors and emptied beyond the ribs of the old galleon.

The filling of the buckets resulted in the discovery of many ingots, which were placed aside, and at last, after several descents, a portion of the treasure was reached, and instead of sending up sand, the buckets were filled with silver and the rough sh.e.l.ly concrete, though every ingot as they worked lower was more free from the adhesion, till the lower ones were almost literally blackened silver covered with sand.

Worn out with fatigue the task was at last set aside for the day, and in honour of their great success, 'Pollo's best endeavours had been called into question to prepare what was quite a banquet, during which Mr Parkley was congratulated by his friends in turn, and afterwards, when seated in the comparative cool of the evening, the question was discussed as to there being any risk attending their proceedings.

"I don't suppose we are right from some points of view," said Mr Parkley, gaily. "But let's secure all the treasure, and we'll talk about that afterwards. We shall give you a rich cargo, Studwick."

"I hope so," was the reply, "but you'll have to go on for many days at this rate before I am overloaded."

"Wait a bit, eh, Dutch Pugh. I think we shall astonish him yet. Come, a gla.s.s of champagne, man. You are low with your accident. What are you dreaming about?"

"I was wondering," said Dutch, quietly, "whether we ought not to take more precautions."

"What about? Indians ash.o.r.e?"

"No; sailors afloat."

"Quite right," said the captain.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Dutch, "that we must not excite the cupidity of these men by letting them see too much of the treasure, or mischief may follow.

There are several fellows here whose looks I don't like."

"Don't invent bugbears, Pugh," said Mr Parkley, gaily. "We can take care of what we find, for we have plenty of arms, and I doubt very much whether the men would risk their necks by entering into anything in the shape of a mutiny. What do you say to that, eh, Studwick? Am I not right?"

"I don't know what to say," replied the captain. "I must confess now that I had my misgivings about some of the men at the commencement of the voyage, and, though I have seen nothing to make me suspicious, the fact of having a large freight of silver on board with such a crew as we have does not tend to make me feel quite at ease."

"But you have not your large freight of silver on board yet," said the doctor smiling.

"No, by jove," exclaimed Mr Studwick; "but if they go on piling up the ingots at the rate they have been this afternoon, we shall soon have a temptation strong enough to incite a set of scoundrels to cut all our throats."

Dutch started and shuddered.

"Come, come, gentlemen," cried Mr Parkley, "suppose we stop all this dismal quaking. Here we have so far succeeded in our quest, and the trip bids fair to be all that can be desired, whereupon you set to inventing troubles. Come, I'll give you a toast. Here, 'Home, sweet home!'"

"Home, sweet home!" said the others in chorus, as they drained their gla.s.ses, saving Dutch, who sat moodily thinking. For these words had recalled happy days that were past. There was no happy home for him, and it seemed as if a wandering life would be the happiest that he could now look forward to in the future.

At last, being weary with their exertions, the watch was set and they went below, the doctor sternly forbidding any one from lying down to sleep on the deck,--a most tempting place in the heat; and no sooner had the captain taken a look round than a couple of dark figures crept stealthily from under the tarpaulin that covered a boat, and were joined by another, who cautiously came forward to join them from the forecastle hatch, the three getting together under the dark shelter of the bulwarks, where earnest conversation was carried on in a whisper.

About half-an-hour later another dark figure crept out upon the deck, and stood listening for a few moments before going down on hands and knees, and then apparently flat upon the deck, to worm its way towards where a faint light shone up from the cabin, and gaze cautiously down through the skylight as far as it could for the wire protection spread over the gla.s.s.

Apparently satisfied, the figure crept forward again, and made for the hatch leading down to the berths occupied by Mr Jones, the doctor, the naturalist, Rasp, and where Sam Oak.u.m also turned in.

Now, it so happened that the latter gentleman was enjoying a strange nightmare, in which it seemed to him that Rasp had, out of spite, forced him into one of the diving suits, made him go to the bottom of the sea, and had then suddenly cut off the supply of air. He fought, he struggled, he grunted, he made every effort he could to breathe, but all in vain, and in the horror of the suffocating sensation he awoke to find that a hand was pressed heavily upon his mouth, while another seemed busy at his breast.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

'POLLO'S REPORT.

Oak.u.m was not a man to shout for help, but to act, and act he did on the instant by turning sharply round, and seizing his a.s.sailant by the throat. He lowered his hands, though, in a moment, for a thick voice whispered--

"Don't make 'tupid bobbery, Ma.s.s' Sam Oak.u.m, sah, or you wake de oder gentlemen."

"What's up, 'Pollo?" said Oak.u.m, in the same low tone, for he was awake now to the fact that something was wrong. "Injins?"

"No, sah, I tink not; but you come out here, sah, where de oder gentleman not hear, and I tell you."

Oak.u.m squabbled with 'Pollo every day, but they were very old shipmates, and the rough sailor had the most abundant confidence in the black, so he drew on his trousers, and cautiously followed him to the foot of the steps, where 'Pollo sat down, and Oak.u.m knelt by his side.

"Now, then, what's up?" growled Oak.u.m.

"I tell you, sah, reckly, but first must 'fess somefin to you."

"Go ahead then, my hearty," was the reply.

"Well, sah, while I busy all de mornin' in my galley, I see de beauful lump of silber brought up ober and ober again, and I see Ma.s.s' Jone and noder sailor busy knock off de sh.e.l.l and tuff, and frow him all of a heap."

"Yes, and there it lies now on deck," said Sam, "instead of being shyed overboard. What o' that?"

"Well, sah, no able to sleep 'cause of dat, and so I get out of my hammock and creep all soft like on deck."

"What, did you get some of the bits o' sh.e.l.l in your blanket."

"No, sah, no," chuckled 'Pollo. "You know me, Ma.s.s' Sam Oak.u.m, sah, we berry ole friend, and go froo deal ob trouble togedder."

"Well, yes, 'Pollo, old man, we have had a hardship or two, but what o'