Money Island | Page 9

money.
With feverish energy, we thus labored until late in the night, meeting
with constant success; and, when we stopped, every one had a precious
pile to carry back to the shore. The coins were all corroded and
misshapen through the action of the salty mud in which they had lain,
and the disturbance caused by the roots of the trees. A few silver coins
were found, but all were in a very worn condition; some being little
more than ragged discs of the thickness of paper. Others, or the remains
of them, crumbled into a black powder at the touch of our fingers. The
gold was in better preservation; and we secured a goodly store of it.

We secreted our treasure in the woods on shore, and early the next
morning returned to our work. I can well remember our exultant feeling
as we set out in our boats. "Boys," Mr. Landstone called out, as we
were sailing over the narrow stretches of water toward the island, "how
do you feel?"
"I feel like--like--" I answered, rising in my seat and lifting my hat to
cheer.
"None of that!" he said quickly--but I knew I was about to express the
excited feeling of us all.
As to our further success, I would say that it was unabated during
nearly the whole day. I think we secured every piece of precious metal
that had been buried beneath the tree. The following day we uprooted
the other tree, but failed to find any trace of more booty. We concluded
that the remaining chest had probably been removed; but that is still an
unsettled question.
Besides the coin, we had discovered the remains of much silver plate;
but it was of little value, being almost entirely destroyed. But the
gold--there was an abundance of it, and we were all made rich!
In the meantime our parents appeared on the scene to learn the cause of
our protracted absence from home. It is needless to say that there was
no rod of correction held over us that day.
If I had taken care of my share of the treasure as I should have done
after my father's death, I would be living in luxury and comfort to-day;
but, even regretting my poor judgment, I can now thank a good
Providence that I have been sustained through a long life, which has
had an undue share of misfortune, by the splendid fortune which came
to me in that happy May of long ago.
[Illustration: "The decaying hulks of blockade runners that rise a little
here and there above the waves"]

THE CONQUEST OF JAMESBY.
I reached home for tea a little late, and saw my young friend Jamesby
in the back yard where he had gone to admire my fowls, in which I take
a just pride. Old Henry, my colored servant, was playing the part of
host; for there was no one else at home. When I made my appearance,
the chickens had evidently become a matter of secondary interest.
Jamesby, a rising young banker of the city, was sitting on an empty box
near the fence, and Henry was standing before him, leaning upon his
cane, chuckling and talking in his customary deferential manner, which
has always made him a very acceptable servant about my premises.
I approached without being observed, and did not hail them, for I did
not wish to intrude too suddenly upon what appeared to be a very
amusing subject of conversation. I heard Jamesby say laughingly,
"Why, it was in the paper this morning--five or six columns of it! It was
a great big yarn. I can't imagine why he never told you anything about
it."
I knew what they were talking about. I was well aware that I had told
my tale of Money Island for publication; for had I not been sought after
by men, women, and children for every imaginable explanation and
sidelight relating to the story which might have been omitted from the
MS furnished the printer? And had I not been asked to repeat by living
voice facts in the narrative which I had written, as I thought, with entire
clearness in the published story? The boys had all read the story, and I
had been put to my wits' end to answer the questions asked by them;
but I had assured several of them that if they would take a copy of the
paper, go to the Island and there read it on the very spot where the
treasure had been buried, and then and there take a careful survey of the
situation, there would be no difficulty in their comprehending even the
slightest detail. This seemed to me to be a very sensible suggestion; and
I suppose some of them will carry