Money Island | Page 7

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 ground and the holes which had been dug; and then began to make inquiries as innocently as we could as to their object. Our plans of the night before began to work successfully.
By sheer force of persistence, we won our way into their confidence, and worked with them until late in the afternoon. For they were indeed on a determined search for Captain Kidd's buried treasure.
We were in constant expectation of discovering the chests of gold--two iron chests, which Mr. Landstone, the elder gentleman, assured us he felt positive were there. But the discovery