A Desperate Chance | Page 9

the spirit here?"
The answer came:
"I am here."
A more experienced person than Desmond would have gotten on to the fact that it was very strange that the spirit should answer him in such good English, it being supposed to be the spirit of a Mexican, but spirits probably can talk any language. At any rate, Desmond did not stop to consider.
"Do you own the gold?"
"Yes."
"Why can't I have it? I've found it."
"You get away as quick as you can or I'll seize you."
Well, well, this was a great state of affairs; Desmond did not ask any more questions. He seized his lamp and started to limp from the cave, and he was white and trembling. He made his way to Creedon Hall and beheld Brooks and Creedon standing over the fire. On the face of Brooks there was an amused look, and on Creedon's an expression of real jollity.
"Great sakes! Desmond," demanded Brooks, "where have you been? I awoke and found you missing, and Creedon and I have been scared almost to death."
Desmond tried to assume an indifferent air, and said:
"I wasn't sleepy, so I thought I would go and explore a little."
"You had better be careful how you explore around here."
"Why?"
"Well, that's all; I won't say any more, but be careful, or you may be suddenly missing."
"What did you find, boy?"
"I'll tell you all about it in the morning."
The men retired to their blankets and Desmond also lay down, after having promised that he would not attempt to explore any more that night.
He did not sleep, however; the phantom voice, the treasure, and his discovery kept him awake, and he lay thinking about ghosts and goblins, and he muttered;
"Hang it! I never believed in ghosts;" then as he lay there, there came to his mind a recollection of the jolly look that had rested on the face of the guide, and there came to his mind a suspicion, and then a certainty, that he had been fooled. He was a wonderfully sharp lad, and he began to think the whole matter over, and he recalled the fact that the ghost had spoken good English.
"Hang me!" he muttered, "if I don't believe I've been made a victim of a huge joke, and Brooks and Creedon are both guilty in aiding to give me a scare. All right, to-morrow we will see all about it; I'll get square."
Desmond did fall asleep at length, and when he awoke Brooks and Creedon were eating their breakfast, and Creedon said as Desmond joined them:
"So you were exploring last night?"
"Yes."
"What did you find?"
"Gold."
"You did?"
"Yes."
"Oh, come off."
"I did."
"You think you did."
"I did, I'll swear I did."
"Where did you find it?"
"In a cave which one of those passages leads to."
"You found gold?"
"Yes."
"You will have to be careful."
"Careful?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You'll strike the ghost."
"The ghost?"
"Yes."
"What ghost?"
"The ghost of the old Mexican."
"I did think I heard a groan. Tell me about the old Mexican."
"I've told you all I know about him, and I'll tell you that in my opinion it will be dangerous to meddle with his gold, even if you found it."
"Could that old Mexican speak English?"
"A little."
"Only a little?" repeated Desmond.
"Yes."
"Then it's just as I suspected; I tell you I was scared at first, but when the old ghost answered me--"
"When the ghost answered you?" demanded Creedon.
"Yes."
"Did you see the ghost?"
"I heard him--that is, I thought I did--and I spoke to him, but he gave me back such good English I made up my mind that you didn't know how to play a joke. Next time stick to the broken English; you might have scared the life out of me then."
Brooks and Creedon laughed, and the latter said:
"Well, you are smart, you are; but, lad, let me tell you something: don't spend time looking for the Mexican's gold."
"Why not?"
"I've explored every nook and cranny in this mountain, and there is no treasure hidden here."
"But I found some gold."
"You did?"
"Yes."
Creedon and Brooks stared.
"Are you in earnest?"
"I am."
"Where did you find it?"
"Well, I am going to consider awhile before I tell."
Brooks looked Desmond straight in the face, and asked:
"Boy, honest, did you really find gold?"
"Yes, I did."
The matter began to assume a very serious aspect, for Desmond spoke seriously.
"If you found any gold, lad, you've beat me."
"I did find gold."
"On your honor?"
"Yes."
"Well, here we are on shares; tell us all about it."
Desmond laughed in turn; they had had their laugh and he had his laugh, as he said:
"Here is what I found."
The lad produced the little nugget he had picked up and then Creedon laughed, and said:
"By George! that is the bit of gold I lost, and I had a good hunt for it."
Our hero had been impressed by Creedon's statement that he had examined every nook and corner in the mountain, and yet he did feel a sort of hankering notion that