Money Island | Page 7

were successful in our efforts
to avoid the suspicion of purposely following it.
The men sailed down the Sound a short distance to the south, and made
for the shore in a little cove at a somewhat secluded place.
We were familiar with the locality, and decided to wait until later for a
closer observation. Accordingly, we bore once again toward the beach,
and enjoyed an hour watching the breakers roll upon the shore, and in
picking up curios, such as are always to be found upon the sea beach.
Upon our return, we passed close to the little cove into which the boat
had gone, and could readily discern through the trees a tent not far
inland; in front of which were seated the two strangers, watching a pot
hung over a fire made upon the ground. This excited an additional
flutter of wonderment with us. Indeed, what we had seen, coupled with
the current tradition regarding Money Island, soon wrought us up into a
fever of excitement; for it was very suggestive of a search for the
treasure on the island.
I had heard from my early childhood that Captain Kidd, the historic and
lordly pirate, who reigned supreme upon the high seas during the
seventeenth century, was supposed to have buried some of his booty on

Money Island. Everybody was familiar with the tradition; and I doubt if
there is, even now, a single person reared in the town of Wilmington, of
in the vicinity of the Sound, who has not likewise been told the same
indefinite story about the little island. But the presence of these two
strangers, and their somewhat mysterious conduct, gave the tradition a
touch of reality such as it could never have otherwise had.
We concluded that these men had evidently some positive information
on the subject, and were showing their confidence in that information
by prosecuting a search for the hidden treasure, at much trouble and
expense. This was clear to us, and we talked the matter over that night
with eager interest. We surmised every possible case that might have
furnished the strange visitors with a working clue to the discovery of
the treasure. Speculation ran high. But there was one thing that we
became agreed upon, and that was, to become, if possible, parties to the
secret enterprise. We pondered with boys' shrewdness how this should
be done. This we could not decide upon; but we determined to play a
venture toward the desired end. The attitude of innocent curiosity
seemed best suited to our purpose. So we planned to draw up at Money
Island in the morning if we observed that the men were there; and to
approach them in an unsuspicious manner, as if we had just happened
to stop at the Island without any definite motive. This should work as a
capital ruse, and, we felt confident, it would initiate a connection on
our part with the mysterious search.
That point settled, we concluded to investigate the tent and its
occupants as well as we might under the cover of darkness, and we
promptly set out upon that project. We approached within a hundred
feet of the tent, and saw the men still sitting in the light of the fire at the
tent door; but there was no discovery of importance. They were merely
talking quietly and carelessly about some ship that one of them seemed
to be interested in. We could hear their conversation distinctly, and we
were also able to take a good observation of their appearance.
One of them was a man upwards of sixty, of robust build and gray hair
and beard. He had a kind face, which bore the aspect of one
accustomed only to the quieter walks of life, unfamiliar with adventure

and ill-suited to an enterprise such as they were now apparently
engaged upon. The other man had a weather-beaten face with a long
nose, and a swagger of manner which betokened the sailor. This, we
afterwards learned, had been his occupation. We watched them for
about an hour; but finally withdrew in the hope of making a better
acquaintance in the morning.
Soon after daylight we began eagerly to watch for the boat, which
appeared around a bend in the Sound after the lapse of an hour or so
and headed straight for the Island. We loitered about the yard a little
while longer, and then made ready our yacht without any appearance of
haste.
On setting sail, we made for the beach; but, upon reaching there, turned
back at once and sailed for Money Island in an indirect course. We
soon reached there and stepped upon the shore. The men immediately
dropped their implements. They returned our salutation pleasantly. We
observed with much surprise the disturbed state of the