Pieces of Eight | Page 6

I had been with them for more than two years, we were attacked by a large warship and our commander told us to fight for our lives, as it would be death if we were taken. But the guns of our ship were too small for the warship, so our ship soon began to sink, when the man-of-war ran alongside of our vessel and tried to bore us, but we were sinking too fast, so she had to haul off again, when our vessel sunk with everything on board, and I escaped by swimming under the stern of the ship, as ours sunk, without being seen, and holding on to the ship until dark, when I swam to a portion of the wrecked vessel floating not far away. And on that I floated. The next morning the ship was not seen. I was picked up by a passing vessel the next day as a shipwrecked seaman._
_"And let me say here, I know that no one escaped alive from our vessel except myself and those that were taken by the man-of-war. And those were all executed as pirates,--so I know that no other man knows of this treasure except myself and it must be and is where we buried it until to-day and unless you get it through this statement it will remain there always and do no one any good._
_"Therefore, it is your duty to trace it up and get it for your own benefit, as well as others, so delay not, but act as soon as possible._
_"I will now describe the places, locations, marks etc., etc., so plainly that it can be found, without any trouble._
"The first is a sum of one million and a half dollars--($1,500,000)--"
At this point, John paused. We all took a long breath, and Charlie Webster gave a soft whistle, and smacked his lips.
"A million and a half dollars. What ho!"
Then I, happening to cast my eye through the open door, caught sight of a face gazing through the ironwork of the outer office with a fixed and glittering expression, a face anything but prepossessing, the face of a half-breed, deeply pock-marked, with a coarse hook nose, and evil-looking eyes, unnaturally close together. He looked for all the world like a turkey buzzard, eagerly hanging over offal, and it was evident from his expression, that he had not missed a word of the reading.
"There is some one in the outer office," I said, and John rose and went out.
"Good morning, Mr. Saunders," said an unpleasantly soft and cringing voice.
"Good morning," said John, somewhat grumpily, "what is it you want?"
It was some detail of account, which, being despatched, the man shuffled off, with evident reluctance, casting a long inquisitive look at us seated at the desk, and John, taking up the manuscript once more resumed:
_"... a sum of one million and one half dollars--buried at a cay known as Dead Men's Shoes, near Nassau, in the Bahama Islands."_
"'Dead Men's Shoes!' I don't know any such place, do you?" interrupted Charlie.
"No, I don't--but, never mind, let's read it through first and discuss it afterwards," and John went on:
_"Buried at a cay known as Dead Men's Shoes, near Nassau, in the Bahama Islands; about fifty feet (50 ft.) south of this Dead Men's Shoes is a rock, on which we cut the form of a compass. And twenty feet (20 ft.) East from the cay is another rock on which we cut a cross (X). Under this rock it is buried four feet (4 ft.) deep._
_"The other is a sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000). It is buried on what was known as Short Shrift Island; on the highest point of this Short Shrift Island is a large cabbage wood stump and twenty feet (20 ft.) south of that stump is the treasure, buried five feet (5 ft.) deep and can be found without difficulty. Short Shrift Island is a place where passing vessels stop to get fresh water. No great distance from Nassau, so it can be easily found._
"_The first pod was taken from a Spanish merchant and it is in Spanish silver dollars._
"_The other on Short Shrift Island is in different kinds of money, taken from different ships of different nations--it is all good money._
"_Now friends, I have told you all that is necessary for you to know, to recover these treasures and I leave it in your hands and it is my request that when you read this, you will at once take steps to recover it, and when you get it, it is my wish that you use it in a way most good for yourself and others. This is all I ask._
"_Now thanking you for your kindness and care and with my best wishes for your prosperity and happiness, I will close, as