“I wish to know where the treasures of the Carmilhan lie hidden.” “At the bottom of the sea.” “Where?” “In the Cavern of Steenfoll.” “How can I reach them?” “A goose will dive after a herring, are not the treasures of the Carmilhan worth much more?” “How much shall I succeed in obtaining?” “More than you will ever be able to spend.” The little yellow man grinned and the whole assembly burst out laughing. “Have you finished your questioning?” asked the captain. “I have, farewell!” replied Will. “Farewell, until we meet again,” answered the Dutchman, and turned to go. The musicians again led the procession, and they turned to depart in the same order in which they had come, singing the same solemn chant, which faded away in the distance until at length it became lost in the sound of the waves beating upon the shore. Will now exerted all his strength to free himself from the hide that wrapped him round so tightly. He succeeded at last in freeing one arm and then commenced to loosen the cords that fastened him into the hide, until he had untied all the knots and rolled out of the hide. Without losing a moment he hastened home, where he found poor Caspar lying unconscious upon the floor of the hut. Having restored him to his senses with some trouble the good fellow wept tears of joy to see once again the friend of his youth, whom he believed to have lost for ever. But his joy was soon quenched when Will told him of the desperate undertaking he had now on hand. “I could no longer endure the misery of this wretched place,” he said, “now that it is within my power to attain riches for us both. Follow me or not, as you will.” [Illustration: _He brought to the surface an iron chest full of gold pieces._ (P. 344.)] With these words Will took up a torch, a flint and steel, and a rope and hastened away. Caspar followed as quickly as he could and found his friend standing by the crevice in the rock leading to the Cavern of Steenfoll. He was making ready to lower himself by the rope into the black depths below. Finding that all his entreaties to desist availed nothing, Caspar prepared to descend with his friend, but Will bade him remain where he was and hold the rope. With fearful exertions, which only the blindest avarice could have driven him to make, he succeeded in climbing down into the cavern until he reached a portion of projecting rock beneath which the black waves dashed to and fro, crested with white foam. He gazed eagerly into the water and saw something gleaming in the depths. Laying aside his torch, he dived beneath the waves and seized a heavy object, which he brought up to the surface. It was an iron chest full of gold pieces. He told his companion what he had found, but paid no attention to his entreaties to be content with what he had and to re-ascend. Will thought he had but obtained the first fruits of his labours and dived again. A mocking laugh arose from the depths of the sea, and the diver rose no more.