This last was decided on, especially as, by blasting away the sand, the silver ingots to a great extent might be cast away with the covering. Besides which, the position of the schooner was so satisfactory that the captain was averse to its being moved, and wished, if possible, to retain it where it was. Tackle was rigged up, then, with iron buckets attached to ropes, and the afternoon was spent by Dutch and Rasp in turn in filling the buckets, which were then drawn up by the sailors and emptied beyond the ribs of the old galleon. The filling of the buckets resulted in the discovery of many ingots, which were placed aside, and at last, after several descents, a portion of the treasure was reached, and instead of sending up sand, the buckets were filled with silver and the rough shelly concrete, though every ingot as they worked lower was more free from the adhesion, till the lower ones were almost literally blackened silver covered with sand. Worn out with fatigue the task was at last set aside for the day, and in honour of their great success, 'Pollo's best endeavours had been called into question to prepare what was quite a banquet, during which Mr Parkley was congratulated by his friends in turn, and afterwards, when seated in the comparative cool of the evening, the question was discussed as to there being any risk attending their proceedings. "I don't suppose we are right from some points of view," said Mr Parkley, gaily. "But let's secure all the treasure, and we'll talk about that afterwards. We shall give you a rich cargo, Studwick." "I hope so," was the reply, "but you'll have to go on for many days at this rate before I am overloaded." "Wait a bit, eh, Dutch Pugh. I think we shall astonish him yet. Come, a glass of champagne, man. You are low with your accident. What are you dreaming about?" "I was wondering," said Dutch, quietly, "whether we ought not to take more precautions." "What about? Indians ashore?" "No; sailors afloat." "Quite right," said the captain. "What do you mean?" "I mean," said Dutch, "that we must not excite the cupidity of these men by letting them see too much of the treasure, or mischief may follow. There are several fellows here whose looks I don't like." "Don't invent bugbears, Pugh," said Mr Parkley, gaily. "We can take care of what we find, for we have plenty of arms, and I doubt very much whether the men would risk their necks by entering into anything in the shape of a mutiny. What do you say to that, eh, Studwick? Am I not right?" "I don't know what to say," replied the captain. "I must confess now that I had my misgivings about some of the men at the commencement of the voyage, and, though I have seen nothing to make me suspicious, the fact of having a large freight of silver on board with such a crew as we have does not tend to make me feel quite at ease." "But you have not your large freight of silver on board yet," said the doctor smiling.