“And Captain Richmond would have got tired of waiting. Did you drop him a hint that we were on the right track?”
“Yes; but I don’t believe he put any faith in my words.”
“He will have to believe it when we carry the treasure on board.”
At length, following the directions of Wolf, the unfortunate sailor, they reached the locality specified.
There stood the six trees, arranged in the shape of a cross. There were no other trees within two hundred feet, and this made them conspicuous.
“If we had ever come this way we could not have failed to discover them,” said Titcomb; “and after all, the pirates were wise to select this place, rather than one in the heart of the woods.”
They lost no time in digging between the second and third trees, according to directions.
“I hope no one has been here before,” said Luke Clark, between the strokes of his pickaxe.
“There was no one to come here except John Wolf, and he would have had no object in it.”
In a very short time Abner Titcomb’s pickaxe struck something hard.
The three redoubled their efforts, and, sure enough, they soon laid bare the chest which for so many years had been buried in its secret hiding place.
It proved to be locked, but by good luck Guy, who had with him the key of his uncle’s chest in the attic of his home in Bayport, was able to open it.
The sight dazzled them. There were vases filled with gold and silver coin, and three or four wallets stuffed with bank bills, besides watches--there looked to be fifty or sixty of these--and jewelry.
“Well! well! This is a find!” said Abner Titcomb. “You are rich for life, Guy!”
“Mr. Saunders will be satisfied, I think,” he said, simply. “The question is now, how shall we get the chest to the beach?”
“I think we shall have to wait till to-morrow. I doubt if we can carry it so far. We can bring some of the sailors with us to help.”
“There is no one on the island. Still, we had better cover it up and get back to the beach, although it is yet early.”
It was at least four miles to the beach. When they arrived there their hearts were filled with dismay, _for looking out to sea, they could see nothing of the Osprey_! She had mysteriously disappeared.
Guy and his two companions looked at one another, with pale faces and sinking hearts.