"I knew of an island off the beaten track where there was good hiding .... .... found, night. Cutter .... .... ashore, mutiny .... .... killed them both. And there the booty is still .... .... .... .... .... forbid. "Now standing .... .... .... .... .... hell, I have made .... drawing .... .... island where .... buried. I give it freely .... Mother .... .... .... .... cand .... .... .... altar and .... .... masses .... .... unworthy soul. his (X) _Al_ .... .... mark "Attest _Pablo Ximenes_, notary." The captain laid the paper on the desk and glanced at the intent faces of his companions. "Now, what do you make of that?" he asked. CHAPTER VIII THE SCOURGES OF THE SEA Tyke's eyes were staring and his face was so apoplectic that Drew was alarmed. "Make out of it?" Tyke spluttered, getting up and nearly overturning his chair. "I make out of it that Manuel was right when he said that the old chest held something worth more'n diamonds." Grimshaw was so shaken out of his usual calm that Captain Hamilton, too, shared Drew's alarm. "I tell you what we'd better do," he suggested. "We're all too much excited to discuss this thing intelligently now. We've got a whole lot to digest, and it will take time. This thing will keep. Suppose we have our young friend here take this rough draft home with him and piece out the missing parts as well as he can. In the meantime we'll all mull it over in our minds, look at it from every angle, and meet here fresh and rested to-morrow morning to decide on what we'd better do." "I guess you're right," assented Tyke, mopping his forehead. "This old head of mine is whirling around like a top." Tyke locked the map carefully in his safe and committed the other paper and the captain's partial transcription to his chief clerk with solemn injunctions to take the utmost care of them. But the latter stood in no need of the admonition. He would have defended those papers with his life. They meant for him--what did they not mean? Romance, adventure, wealth! Now at last he would have something to justify his search for Ruth Adams and his suit for her hand. Now he could frame his jewel, when he found it, in a proper setting. The three men prepared to leave the private office. Captain Hamilton was first at the door, and he unlocked it. The instant he pulled the door open, Drew heard him ejaculate: "Thunderation! Mr. Ditty! What are you doing here?" "You told me to follow you here, Captain Hamilton," said a respectful voice. "They told me you were inside, and so I waited for you." "Humph! quite right, Mr. Ditty," Captain Hamilton said hastily. Then he thrust his, head back into the office. "My mate's come for me, Tyke. We've got an errand on Whitehall Street. See you to-morrow. Good night, Mr. Drew." Both the captain and the other man had gone when Drew went out into the larger room. The remainder of that afternoon he spent in a dream.