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diff --git a/old/43670.txt b/old/43670.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 93f1084..0000000 --- a/old/43670.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7384 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Peter Cotterell's Treasure, by Rupert Sargent Holland - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Peter Cotterell's Treasure - -Author: Rupert Sargent Holland - -Illustrator: Will Thomson - -Release Date: September 8, 2013 [EBook #43670] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER COTTERELL'S TREASURE *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - - - - - PETER COTTERELL'S TREASURE - - - - -[Illustration: John Tuckerman sat down carefully, "Now, Captain Hallett, -give your orders."] - - - - - PETER COTTERELL'S TREASURE - - BY - - RUPERT SARGENT HOLLAND - - Author of "The Boy Scouts of Birch-Bark Island," - "The Blue Heron's Feather," etc. - - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY - WILL THOMSON - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS - PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. - - - - - Table of Contents - - I--JOHN TUCKERMAN COMES TO BARMOUTH - II--COTTERELL'S ISLAND - III--BEN AND DAVID MAKE A DISCOVERY - IV--VISITORS - V--THE MAHOGANY MAN - VI--THE CLIPPER SHIP - VII--THE TIGERS PLAY CAMP AMOUSSOCK - VIII--THE CANOE - IX--THE CHEST IN THE ROCKS - X--LIGHTS ON THE ISLAND - XI--THE MAN IN GREEN - XII--THE ADVENTURE AT THE COVE - XIII--ON THE FISHING-SMACK - XIV--BEN AT THE GABLES - XV--VARIOUS CLUES - XVI--THE CAMPERS CALL AT BARMOUTH - XVII--PETER COTTERELL - XVIII--THE PIRATES ASHORE - XIX--THE COTTERELL SILVER PLATE - XX--SIR PETER'S PARTY - XXI--THE BOYS AND JOHN TUCKERMAN - - - - - Illustrations - - John Tuckerman sat down carefully, "Now, Captain Hallett, give - your orders." - - In the marshy ground in front of them were two distinct footprints. - - "Sampson put the chest there," he concluded. - - "My wardrobe is still upstairs. Make what use of it you please." - - - - - I--JOHN TUCKERMAN COMES TO BARMOUTH - - -Tom Hallett lived in an old town on the Atlantic seaboard, a port of New -Hampshire that was wedged in between the rocky coast of Maine and the -sandy beaches of Massachusetts. If he crossed the broad river to the -north, the beautiful Pesumpscot, by the old toll-bridge that seemed as -ancient as the town itself, he came into the Pine Tree State. If he -sailed to the south, he had not far to go before he reached Cape Ann. -Back of him, to the west, lay the foothills of the White Mountains, and -he had often tramped far enough in that direction to see the noble -outline of Mount Washington rise grandly against the sky. In front--for -people who live along the seacoast always think of the ocean as being at -their front door--was the harbor of Barmouth, a wide semi-circle, its -two horns sticking way out to the east, its broad bosom dotted with many -islands. Once Barmouth town had sent many ships to sea, merchantmen to -the West Indies, around Cape Horn, to the fabled lands of India and -China, fishing fleets to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, whalers to -the Arctic; now, however, ships were not so plentiful, sails had given -place to steam, and the young men stayed ashore to make their living -rather than seek the rigors and gales that were a part of the toll -exacted by Father Neptune. - -Tom Hallett's house had the cupola on top of its roof that told of the -old sailing days, the "widow's watch," as it was commonly called, for -from there the wives of sailors used to watch for the first sign of -homebound sails. His grandfather had been a sea-captain, and the house -was full of the treasures he had collected. Many a time Tom and his -older sister Milly had listened to the amazing yarns the weatherbeaten -mariner had spun by the winter fire. - -Barmouth was an excellent place for a boy to live. There was plenty of -lawn around most of the houses, the streets were wide and well-shaded, -open country was near enough to be reached by a ten-minute walk. There -was coasting and skating in winter--all that one could wish--and the -ponds that rang with the music of steel runners in January were -swimming-holes in July and tempting places to fish. And there was always -the harbor and the wind from the sea, calling young sailors to launch -their dories and try their skill over the rippling waves. - -Tom was sixteen that summer, and wanted something to do--something a -little different from his usual holiday jaunts. He told his father about -it, and his father said he would think the matter over. And then one -evening, as Tom was leaning on the garden gate, wishing that some -adventure would come his way, he found himself addressed by a stranger. - -"Do you know of a young fellow out of a job?" said the stranger. "A -likely young fellow, who doesn't mind roughing it?" - -Tom regarded the man. The latter was tall and spare, and wore big, -horn-rimmed spectacles that gave him the look of a wise and thoughtful -owl. - -"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't," Tom answered, copying the cautious -words and tone of voice that he had often heard his uncle Samuel Jordan, -who was a lawyer, use when he was asked questions. - -"You're Yankee through and through, aren't you?" said the man. "You -don't want to commit yourself to anything definite until you know all -the facts. I don't suppose I could interest you in buying a calico horse -until you'd got out a pail of water and soap and a scrubbing brush to -see if the spots would wash off." - -Tom laughed; the stranger looked so extremely solemn in his big glasses, -and yet his tone indicated a joke. "Even if the spots didn't wash off -I'm not sure you could interest me in that horse," he retorted. "I don't -see how I could use him just now." - -"Well, he's not for sale, my friend. I need him out on the old farm in -Illinois, where I come from." The man stroked his chin while he regarded -Tom reflectively. "I'm looking for a young and able seaman, for to tell -you the truth, I don't know much about salt water. I provide the grub -and the boat and whatever else is needed, and the sailorman provides the -lore of the sea." - -Tom's interest was aroused. If this stranger really wanted a sailor to -help him with a boat it seemed odd that he should be seeking information -from a young fellow lounging on a gate in one of the quiet, elm-shaded -streets of Barmouth. It would have been much more natural to look for -such information along the waterfront, at some of the docks or piers. -"Why don't you hunt up one of the captains?" Tom suggested. "They might -know just the man for you." - -"I don't want a man," was the answer. "I want a likely young fellow, -someone about your age and general cut of jib--that's the right -seafaring expression, isn't it? I've got an adventure on hand, and I -want company. I wouldn't mind two, or even three, young fellows, if they -were the right kind." - -An adventure! Tom pricked up his ears. The man was certainly -interesting, he would like to know more about him. "Where are you going -to sail, and how long would you be away?" he questioned. - -"My cruise will probably be limited to the islands in Barmouth Harbor, -and we'd be away anywhere from a week to a month." - -"Well," began Tom, "I don't know----" - -"Neither do I," said the stranger, with a grin. "There are a number of -things I don't know about this adventure. But then the main point about -an adventure is that we can't tell everything about it in advance. Isn't -that so?" - -"I suppose it is," Tom granted. And after a moment's thought he added, -"I know my way round the harbor pretty well, and I can sail a dory, and -I've got a couple of friends----" - -"Fine!" declared the man. "Do you know, it may seem odd to you, but as I -came along the street and my eyes lighted on you, I said to myself, -'that's precisely the type of messmate I'm looking for; an upstanding -fellow, with a good head on his shoulders.'" - -Naturally Tom felt pleased. He straightened up and stuck his hands in -his pockets. "The only thing I don't understand," he said, "is how you -expect to find a real adventure in the harbor. Of course we could cruise -around, and fish and swim. Is that what you had in mind?" - -"Did you ever hear of Cotterell's Island?" The stranger lowered his -voice. - -Tom nodded. "Of course I have. We call it Crusty Christopher's Island -around here." - -"Have you ever been on it?" - -"No," Tom was forced to admit. "The man who lives there won't let any -one land. He's put up signs warning people off and he keeps watch-dogs." - -"The island belongs to me," announced the stranger, "and I'm going to -camp out on it." - -Tom stared at the man in surprise. "But surely you're not Crusty -Christopher!" he exclaimed. "I always heard he was old and had a white -beard." - -"Mr. Christopher Cotterell," explained the stranger, "was my uncle; -though as a matter of fact I only saw him once, when I was a small boy. -He died last year and I have inherited his island and the house on it. -The house has a history. I'm very much interested in old houses, and -particularly in this one. My name is John Tuckerman." - -"Well," said Tom, "that's interesting, to be sure. I hope you don't -think I meant to call your uncle names." - -"Oh no, you didn't offend me," said the man promptly. "I've heard him -called Crusty Christopher before, and I shouldn't wonder if he deserved -the nickname. There have been a number of queer characters in the -Cotterell family; there was old Sir Peter Cotterell, for instance, who -built that house on the island and lived there during the Revolution." - -"Sir Peter?" queried Tom. "I don't seem to remember him." - -"He wasn't really Sir Peter," Mr. Tuckerman explained. "He was only -plain Mr. Peter, like his neighbors in Barmouth. But he had the bad -taste to side with the King of England when the colonists objected to -paying taxes without being represented in the government--in other -words, he was what they called a Tory--and so the people nicknamed him -Sir Peter in joke. There are lots of stories I could tell you about him. -I'm very much interested in history, you see." - -Tom nodded. The more he listened to this Mr. John Tuckerman the more he -liked him. And yet simply to camp out on an island in the harbor, even -on Cotterell's Island, where he had never set his foot--though he had -often wanted to--didn't strike him as a very thrilling adventure. - -Perhaps Mr. Tuckerman read his thought, for, lowering his voice again, -he said, "There's a mystery connected with the place; I've found -references to it in some old family letters. And the house is full of -old furniture and bric-a-brac. I can hardly wait to explore it." - -The man's tone was undoubtedly eager, and though Tom had never felt any -great interest in old furniture and such things he found his curiosity -rapidly rising. An island and a house to explore--Crusty Christopher's -at that--and possibly a mystery. He might be making a great mistake if -he let this adventure escape. - -Mr. Tuckerman was speaking again. "I might as well explain at once that -I'm a dreadful landlubber. I don't know anything about sailing boats, -and not very much about fishing. I'm afraid my education has been very -much neglected along certain lines. I want to camp on that island, and I -want company. Do you know how to cook--to cook the sort of things -campers eat, I mean?" - -"I can cook some things. But my friend David Norton can cook almost -anything. He's one of the fellows I meant." - -"It would be splendid if we could get David, too. I'd take along plenty -of provisions, but one does get tired of living on canned things." - -"Ben Sully's a corking fisherman," said Tom. "Ben and David and I have -camped out a lot together." - -"I'd like to keep the expedition as quiet as I can," Mr. Tuckerman -stated. "I don't want a lot of curiosity-seekers poking round the -island." - -"I think you're right," agreed Tom. "I'll swear both of them to secrecy; -except to their families, of course. You wouldn't mind our telling our -parents?" - -To that John Tuckerman agreed. "This is just what I hoped to find," he -said, "some young fellows with the spirit of adventure. You know the -ropes, and I don't. Let's see; what's your name?" - -Tom told him. "Wouldn't you like to come in and see my father?" he -suggested. - -"I must be getting back to the hotel," said Tuckerman. "You tell him my -name, and say I'm Mr. Cotterell's nephew. You sign up to go, do you? And -you'll try to get your two messmates? I'll see to the boat and grub and -cooking outfit--and I think I can promise you a bit of adventure." - -"If Father says yes, I sign," agreed Tom, smiling at the man's air of -business. "And the more adventure there is, the better I'll like it, -too. Things are sort of quiet here this summer." - -Tuckerman held out his hand. He had a formal manner about him that -amused Tom greatly. "See you at Lowe's Wharf at two o'clock tomorrow -afternoon." - -"Right," said Tom, shaking hands. "And I'll have the other two fellows -there with me. They've always wanted to have a look at that island." - -The tall, lank man turned, and shortly disappeared behind the big clump -of lilac bushes at the corner of Wentworth Street. Tom, thoughtfully -jingling a bunch of keys in his trouser pocket, chuckled as he -considered the situation. In fifteen minutes this Mr. John Tuckerman, a -total stranger, had persuaded him to camp out for a fortnight or so on -Crusty Christopher's island. Tom could well believe that Mr. Tuckerman -needed some companions who were used to the water and campcraft; he -looked as if he might be a Professor and more knowing about history and -such things than about how to reef a sail or hook a flounder. - -Still grinning at this unusual happening, Tom went into the house, where -in the sitting-room his father was reading, his mother sewing, and his -sister Milly trimming a new straw hat. "I'm going camping on Cotterell's -Island," he declared. "It's a sort of a secret, so you must all promise -not to tell." - -Milly looked up quickly. "On Cotterell's Island? If you step ashore -there, somebody'll pitch you off." - -"Oh no, they won't. I'm going with the owner." - -Milly wrinkled her nose, as she did when she felt scornful. "I suppose -that pleasant old man has sent you an invitation. 'Dear Mr. Thomas -Hallett, I should be _so_ delighted if you'd drop in on me.'" And Milly -tilted the straw hat on her hand so as to judge the effect of the ribbon -around the brim. - -Tom walked across to the fireplace, where he stood with his back to the -hearth, as his father often did when he had an announcement to make. -"Mr. Christopher Cotterell is dead," he said. "I received my invitation -from his nephew, Mr. John Tuckerman." - -Milly turned around, surprised. "What are you springing on us? Where did -you meet this man?" - -"Down at the gate to-night," said Tom calmly. "He wanted a likely young -fellow to help him explore the house and the island he's inherited, and -naturally he came to me." - -"Yes, what Tom says is quite true," declared Mr. Hallett. "Mr. Tuckerman -is the new owner. So he asked you to help him, did he?" - -"He called himself a landlubber. I've an idea too that he doesn't want -to stay on the island alone. I'm to get Ben and David, and we're to sail -his boat for him and fish and cook and keep him company." - -"Humph!" sniffed Milly. "That doesn't sound very exciting. You're to do -the work while he loafs around." - -"Oh, I don't know about that. He hinted that we might find something -very interesting. He called it an adventure. And he let slip something -about a mystery." - -Milly put the hat down. She herself was very fond of camping and sailing -and swimming, and although she pretended to be quite grown up she still -yearned at times for her old tomboy ways. "I suppose he isn't going to -be like Old Crusty--I mean Mr. Christopher Cotterell? He won't mind -people coming out to see that queer old house." - -"That's just what he does mind," said Tom. "He wants to keep the whole -thing dark, for the present, at least. Why, if he didn't, all Barmouth -would be going out there. Most of them never got nearer the place than -to read the signs; and they'd all be crazy to go." - -"Well, it seems to me," argued Milly, "if he's going to explore the -house he ought to have someone out there who knows something about -furnishings. I daresay there's lots of old silver and curtains and rugs -and maybe chests of fine linen. Now of course a woman--well, it's only -natural that a woman--you know what I mean, a woman could help a great -deal in sorting such things out." - -"When you say a woman," inquired Tom, "do you happen to be thinking of -Miss Milly Hallett?" - -Milly, in spite of her tan, flushed a fiery red. "You know perfectly -well, Tom, that you've always said I was a great help on a camping -party." - -"So you are, Milly," Tom admitted loyally. "You cook better even than -Dave does. But Mr. Tuckerman didn't say anything about bringing a girl -along. I'm afraid he'd think that wouldn't be business-like." - -"Tom's right, Milly dear," said Mrs. Hallett. "This is Mr. Tuckerman's -affair, and it wouldn't be right to offer him any suggestions. But -perhaps, while they're out on the island, he wouldn't mind if some day -we went over to look at the house. When do you start, Tom?" - -"To-morrow at two--that is, if father says it's all right." - -"Oh, you're going to ask my consent, are you?" said Mr. Hallett, with a -smile. "Well, if Mr. Tuckerman is such a landlubber as he appears to be, -I think it's only right you should give him your help. I don't see how, -with Ben and David and you, he can possibly get into hot water." - -"He can't," agreed Milly, picking up the hat again and pretending to -shiver. "The water isn't even warm around the islands in the harbor. -However, I don't suppose this Mr. Tuckerman is apt to care much for -swimming." And as she went on twirling the hat in her hands and puffing -out the big blue bow, she hummed a little tune to indicate that she was -much more interested in her millinery than in Tom's prospective -adventure. - -Tom walked down the street to the small, pitched-roof house--a white -house with green shutters and door, and tall pink and red hollyhocks -standing up against the sides--where Benjamin Sully lived. As luck would -have it, David Norton was sitting with Ben on the doorstep. "Hello!" -cried Tom. "I'm looking for a couple of able-bodied seamen." - -"Aye, aye, sir," answered Ben. "What port are you bound for--the Barbary -Coast or Barbadoes or round the Cape of Good Hope?" - -Ben was a small, dark boy, agile as a monkey. When he was with David -Norton he looked smaller and darker than ever, for David was big of -frame and his sandy hair topped a cheerful, freckled face. These two and -Tom Hallett were about of an age, and had always shared each other's -secrets. - -"Cotterell's Island, lads. A place where the foot of a white man has -never set heel before." And standing in front of his two friends, Tom -related John Tuckerman's proposal. - -When he had finished, Ben nodded. "The plan sounds good to me. I've -always meant to have a look at that island. As I've sized it up, Crusty -Christopher wouldn't have been so concerned to keep people away if he -hadn't had something he wanted to keep secret." - -"I don't know about that," said David. "Some people are made that way; -they just naturally don't want other folks around. Maybe the place is -just like any other island." - -"Well, I'm going anyhow," declared Tom. "I guess I can look after Mr. -Tuckerman all right by myself. But I didn't want to seem mean and leave -you two out." - -Ben jumped up. "I'm going, all right. I'd hate to think of you and that -ignorant fellow out there all by yourselves. Count me in on this, Tom." - -"I guess your friend wouldn't get much good cooking," said David, -"without me to superintend." - -"Oh, I don't know about that," retorted Tom. "He's going to take plenty -of good stuff." - -"Canned!" snorted David. "I know--hardtack and beans out of a tin. No, -siree. You'd be squabbling inside of two days if you didn't have me and -some of my famous flapjacks to keep you pleasant." - -"Nice, modest David," said Ben, stroking his big friend's arm. "However, -though he doesn't think very well of himself, I vote that we let him -come along. Maybe he'll be useful." - -"You bet I'll come," announced the tow-headed one. "Do you think I'd let -you two and a queer man go prowling around a mysterious island without -your Uncle David? I'll be there when the boat sails, with my pet -frying-pan!" - - - - - II--COTTERELL'S ISLAND - - -Early the next afternoon the few occupants of Lowe's Wharf--a couple of -men fishing for cunners, a sailor painting the bottom of an upturned -dory, two small boys practising tying various kinds of knots with odds -and ends of rope--saw three young fellows in dark blue jerseys and khaki -coats and trousers and a man rigged out in a homespun Norfolk jacket and -knickerbockers and greenish-gray golf stockings assemble as if they were -about to start on an expedition. - -Tom Hallett, slender but wiry, browned by the wind and the sun, dumped -his duffle-bag of blankets and extra clothing on the wharf and -introduced his companions. "Mr. Tuckerman, this is David Norton, and -this is Ben Sully. They'd both like to go along, if you still want three -of us." - -John Tuckerman shook hands with each. "I'm proud to have such a fine -looking crew," said he. "Though perhaps I ought to put it the other way -about and say three such fine looking captains, I myself being the crew. -It doesn't need more than a glance to tell me that you three know all -about the sea and the woods. Great luck, I call it. And if I'm not -mistaken there's our ship, waiting for us Argonauts to go aboard." - -At one side of the wharf, a man was holding the painter of an -eighteen-foot sailing dory, already loaded with provisions and John -Tuckerman's bags. The three boys quickly had their own things stowed -away. "All right, Mr. Jackson," said Tuckerman to the man from whom he -had rented the boat. "You see I've shipped a good crew. You needn't lie -awake nights wondering what's happened to your _Argo_." - -The owner grinned. "I know 'em. I'll trust 'em with the boat. But her -name's the _Mary J. Jackson_. See, it's painted there in the bow." - -"So it is. _Mary J. Jackson_. That's a very nice name; but somehow it -doesn't seem exactly to suit this business. We're after the Golden -Fleece, like the Argonauts of old; so if you don't mind I'm going to -christen her for this trip the _Argo_. Just a little fancy of mine." - -"Suit yerself, sir. She's a good boat, no matter what you call her." - -"Many thanks, Mr. Jackson." John Tuckerman sat down carefully. "Now, -Captain Hallett, give your orders." - -The dory slid away, the experienced hand of Tom in charge of the tiller. -Out into the harbor she sped, picking up the breeze as she danced along. - -The afternoon sun was pleasantly warm, the water was translucent blue, -with here and there wide sweeps of green, on the shore every house and -tree stood out in vivid, fresh-tinted color. Tuckerman folded his arms -and leaned back in great contentment. "This is something like, my lads!" -he exclaimed. "My voyages heretofore have only been made on ocean -grayhounds and fat-bodied ferry-boats." - -Ben looked at him pityingly. "It must be pretty hard," he said, "to live -inland, in a big city." - -"Yes, in some ways, though it has its compensations. You see, my -ancestors grew restless in New England and moved out across the plains. -That is, the Tuckermans did; the Cotterells stayed here. And now there -aren't any Cotterells left. That's how it came about that I own this -island." - -"My father," spoke up David, "says that the Cotterells were once one of -the best known families in Barmouth; but that old Mr. Christopher was as -queer as all get out. He knows lots of stories about him. He says that -Mr. Christopher lived there with a colored man for his servant, and -never saw anybody." - -"Poor old chap!" said Tuckerman. "I can't help feeling dreadfully sorry -for him. Think what a good time he could have had in his big house. Why, -in the old days it was one of the show places along the coast and the -Cotterells used to have celebrated parties." Tuckerman gazed out over -the water and pulled his chin with his fingers, in a habit he had. "Do -you know what I want to do? I want to take that old house and fix it up -properly, make it look as it used to, and give it back its good name." -He smiled. "Maybe you'll think it odd, but I feel as if houses were -almost like people. I hate to see either the one or the other go to -seed." - -"They are something like people," Ben agreed. "There's a church with a -steeple in Barmouth that looks just like the pictures of the Pilgrim -Fathers with their high-crowned hats. And the windows in front look like -eyes, kind of boring eyes that are trying to see right through you." - -"Ben's always thinking of queer things like that," David explained, half -in apology. - -Mr. Tuckerman nodded at the small, dark-browed boy. "I'm glad that Ben -came along. I think he's going to be a great help in fixing up my -house." - -In and out between islands, past long jutting ledges, where pine and -juniper ran down to the water's edge, the dory sailed smoothly. -Sometimes Tom had to tack; again he ran for a stretch on a course due -south. And after about an hour he raised his arm and pointed. "There--on -the port bow--there she lies. See that white, sandy beach. That's -Cotterell's Island." - -Ben and David were familiar with the look of the place of course; they -had cruised around it many times, and had always examined it with -particular interest because it was a forbidden shore; but now they gazed -at it as though it were somehow entirely new, as indeed it was to them, -except for the beach and trees. - -John Tuckerman nodded. "I'll take your word for it, Tom. It lies exactly -where it should according to the map of the harbor; though I can't say -that it looks very much like the small red dot on the chart Mr. Jackson -showed me at his boathouse." - -There was not much to be seen except the whitish-yellow beach, several -headlands of purple rock, and thick-growing pines that stood out -black-green. There was, however, considerable to be heard as the sailing -dory drew near. An immense cawing came from the tree-tops, and finally -as the _Argo_ nosed along close to the shore at least a score of crows -flapped away from their meeting-place and went winging off to a more -secluded grove. - -"Uncle Christopher's neighbors don't seem to like visitors any better -than he did," observed Tuckerman with twinkling eyes. "Crows do sound -dreadfully scolding, don't they? And I never knew such birds for all -wanting to talk at the same time." - -Tom knew where the old pier stood, and brought his boat skilfully up to -the landing-stage. The sail was dropped and furled, baggage and stores -carried ashore, and the four campers looked about them. From the old and -rather decrepit pier a graveled path led up to the front of a wide white -house, partially screened by trees. - -"Cotterell Hall," said Tuckerman, gazing at the ancient mansion. "That's -what they used to call it in Revolutionary days. Well, Tom, it's up to -you to tell us what to do. The house won't run away, and something tells -me it won't be so very long before we'll be hungry." - -"Suppose we look for our camping ground then," said Tom, "since it seems -to be understood that we're not going to bunk in the house." - -"That's the idea," agreed Tuckerman promptly. "Fond as I am of ancestral -halls and that sort of thing, I said to myself when I left the -Middle-West for the New England coast: 'John, you're to sleep out of -doors on a bed of pine boughs, even if the bugs do fall from the trees -on your face and the boughs stick you as full of needles as a porcupine. -You're going back to the wild, that's what you are!'" - -His eyes behind his huge tortoise-shell rimmed spectacles looked so -intensely serious that the three boys didn't know whether to laugh or -not. For all his dignified appearance he did seem extraordinarily -guileless. David, the most outspoken of the three, shook his head -solemnly. "This isn't going to be what you'd call so all-fired wild, you -know. If you're looking for that, you ought to go up in the North -Woods." - -Ben came to the rescue. "It'll do as a starter though, Mr. Tuckerman," -he said encouragingly. "We can't promise you bears or anything like -that, but maybe there'll be owls and loons and other things that sound -sort of strange at night." - -Tuckerman smiled. "Ben, I can see you're a friendly soul. And you must -remember that what may not seem very wild to experienced woodsmen like -you three may prove very thrilling to a tenderfoot like me." - -They decided on their camp readily; a smooth stretch of turf in a -semi-circle of pines on high ground just above a small sandy beach. It -was perhaps a quarter of a mile from the pier and from Cotterell Hall. -Pine boughs were cut, trimmed, and spread out for bedding, stores were -unpacked, driftwood collected for a fire, and the menu determined on for -supper. - -Tuckerman looked out at the water, a sheet of soft and beautiful -opalescent colors in the setting sun. "Is there any reason why we -shouldn't take a bath?" he inquired. "I feel extremely sticky." - -"No reason whatever," answered Tom. "The first rule of camp-life is, -Obey that impulse. There's plenty of room in that bathtub, but you won't -find much hot water." - -In five minutes they were all in the ocean, frisky as a school of -porpoises, making enough noise to scare any wildfowl away. The boys -struck out and swam, trying first one stroke and then another. -Tuckerman, however, came lumbering along, jerking his arms and legs like -an old and stiff-jointed frog. But he enjoyed himself. He was chuckling -and gurgling and slapping his thighs with his hands as they all came out -of the water. - -"Tom, you must teach me to swim," he begged. "I can see I'm not in your -class now, but give me a week or so----" - -"Righto. I bet you'll learn quick." - -In fifteen minutes they were ready for supper. Fried eggs and bacon, -grilled sweet potatoes, coffee, bread and butter, and then flapjacks -with jam. "I can see," said Tuckerman, as he finished his third -flapjack, "that David's reputation as a cook has not been exaggerated. I -always wondered what it meant when I read that the gods lived on -ambrosia and nectar. Now at last I know." - -"You'll make his head swell," cautioned Ben, "and it's large enough -already. We took him to a phrenologist last winter, and the man said -he'd never felt such big bumps." - -The dishes were washed. The moon rose. Tuckerman lighted his pipe. -"Well," said Ben, "aren't we going to have a look at the old house? It -seems to me we ought." - -The house, when they approached it a little later in the moonlight--for -Ben's suggestion had met with favor from the others--presented a blank -and shuttered white surface, against which the dark outline of the trees -around it showed in jagged forms. It had been a fine old dwelling, built -in a day when carpenters and joiners took a real love in their work and -were as eager to make a graceful, artistic window or doorway as the -medieval masons of Europe were to perfect every detail of their great -cathedrals. - -Broad steps led up to the front door, which was wide and adorned with a -big brass knocker and knob. Tuckerman, taking a little electric -flashlight from his pocket, aimed it at the moulding above the door. -"Aha," he exclaimed, "there's the green and gold pineapple in all its -glory! They used to put beautifully carved pineapples like that in such -places in colonial days; they were the emblems of hospitality. My -ancestor Sir Peter seems to have been friendly disposed when he built -his dwelling at least." - -"I've seen pineapples like that over the doors of some old houses in -Barmouth," said Ben, "but I never thought much about them. That was a -pretty nice idea. There's some style to that front." - -"There was style, real dignified style to the houses of those days," -Tuckerman agreed. "We may think we're pretty smart nowadays, but let me -tell you those ancestors of ours who settled the country could teach us -a good deal." He felt in his pocket for a key. "Well, the pineapple bids -us welcome. If there are any ghosts in the house, I think they'll turn -out friendly." - -The lock was rusty, but finally opened to the new owner's efforts. They -stepped into a large hallway, from which a wide stairway ascended at one -side. Using his flashlight, Tuckerman discovered a gatelegged table, on -which stood a cluster of small candlesticks, all ready for use. - -"Now that's something like--hospitality again!" he declared in a pleased -voice. "They used candles in the old days; every guest in the house had -one to light him to bed. I suppose these have been waiting for me here -ever since Uncle Christopher died." Lighting the candles with a match, -he handed one to each of his companions. "I'm beginning to feel at home -already, boys. Welcome to Cotterell Hall." - -Even David, who could see nothing very thrilling in going over an old -house, felt something of the excitement that had so obviously taken -possession of John Tuckerman. As for Tom and Ben, they peered up the -stairway and through the open doors as if they half-expected to see -gentlemen in curled wigs, knee-breeches and small swords advancing to -meet them. - -Tuckerman led the way into the room on the left, a spacious apartment, -wainscoted and with a pictured paper, representing scenes in fields and -woods, covering the walls to the ceiling. There was a large fireplace, -with a carved mantel above it. Fine old pieces of furniture filled the -room, and, except for the musty air that is to be found in all houses -that have been closed for some time, the place looked precisely as -though it were lived in, even to a pile of magazines and books that lay -on the centre-table. - -"The drawing-room," said Tuckerman, holding his candle high as he gazed -about him. "And there, if I'm not mistaken, is old Sir Peter himself." - -Ben gave a start and looked quickly around. But it was not a ghost to -which Tuckerman referred; it was a large painting that hung on the wall -across from the fireplace, the portrait of a man in buff-colored coat -and breeches, wearing a white tie-wig, and with his right hand resting -on the head of a greyhound that rubbed against his knees. - -"Fine looking old fellow," said Tom. - -"Yes," agreed Tuckerman. "Sir Peter was really handsome. I've seen -pictures of him before. He was a great beau in his time, before the -Revolution. What a shame it was that he couldn't agree with his -neighbors about the right of the colonies to be free. That made it -mighty hard for his wife and children." - -He went over to look closer at the portrait, and as he held the candle -near to the canvas he saw a folded piece of paper stuck into a corner of -the heavy frame. "What's this?" he exclaimed, and drew the paper out. -"You don't suppose the old fellow has left me a message?" - -The candle set on the table, Tuckerman opened the sheet. "This is an -authentic portrait of Peter Cotterell, painted in 1770," he read aloud. -"He shared with me, his descendant, Christopher Cotterell, a dislike for -the society of his kind, though for a different reason. But with me the -line of the Cotterells comes to an end, and I care not whether any now -learn my ancestor's secret or not." - -Tuckerman dropped the paper. "So there was a secret, boys! You remember, -Tom, what I told you. And Uncle Christopher knew what it was." - -"Hello!" exclaimed Ben. "My candle's blown out!" He turned. "Why, that -window's open a little at the bottom. See how the curtains blow." - -"Spooks," scoffed David. "It looks to me as if Crusty Christopher were -playing a joke on us." - - - - - III--BEN AND DAVID MAKE A DISCOVERY - - -Although David Norton could get around the bases on the Barmouth High -School baseball diamond as fast as anyone else, when there was need of -it, and could keep on doing a clog-dance in a Minstrel Show until the -audience rose up and begged him to quit, he could also at times be as -lazy as a jelly-fish stranded on the beach, which as everyone knows is -just about the laziest creature in nature. At the present moment he lay -extended on the stern seat of the sailing dory, while little Ben Sully, -as patient and expert a fisherman as was to be found in Barmouth Harbor, -was watching his line for any indication of a flounder nibble. - -"Funny old bird," said David. "Reminds me of someone out of a story -book." - -"Old bird?" queried Ben. "Do you refer to Sir Peter Cotterell or to -Crusty Christopher?" - -"To neither of them, Benjie. Our friend Professor Tuckerman is the -particular feathered creature to whom I was alluding. I opened one eye -last night; and what do you think I saw? Professor Tuckerman was sitting -up, in his suit of flannel pajamas, staring out at the water as if he -saw something." - -"Perhaps he did. Or maybe he was only thinking. Some people do think -sometimes, you know, Dave. I did some thinking myself last night." - -"About old Christopher's secret?" - -At the moment Ben was too busy to reply. With practised care he drew up -his line and threw a fine, flapping flounder on the bottom of the boat. - -"Yes, about the secret," Ben said, as he rebaited his hook. "I believe -there is one. And I think that Christopher Cotterell rather hoped his -nephew John Tuckerman would find out what it was." - -"Why didn't he tell him then, instead of leaving that crazy note?" - -Ben shook his head. "Christopher wasn't like most people. But it seems -to me he was rather proud of that secret,--it had been in the family so -long,--and he didn't want it to be entirely forgotten. So he meant to -let it be known there was a secret, even if nobody ever found out what -it was. A person might do that, you know." - -"It would take a mighty queer sort of person," sniffed David. - -Ben resumed his fishing, watching his line as a cat watches a -mouse-hole. - -But David, in spite of posing as an unbeliever of all things he couldn't -see for himself, had a well-developed bump of curiosity. When he saw -that Ben didn't mean to continue the subject he raised himself on one -arm and demanded, "Do you take any stock in there being a mystery on the -island that goes back to the Revolution?" - -"Sure," was the prompt answer. "The house goes back that far, and some -of the furniture in it, I suppose. Why not a mystery?" - -"Well, it might, perhaps. But see here, Benjie----" - -"Sh-sh-ish, you'll frighten the fish." Ben brought up another flounder -and unhooked it. - -As he dropped in the line again he continued, "Mr. Tuckerman told me a -few things this morning. You see, this Sir Peter was a man of means. He -had a lot of valuable things in this house, silver and such things he'd -had brought over from England. When the people of Barmouth were trying -to do all they could to help George Washington and his army they thought -their rich neighbor out here ought to do his share. But he was a Tory -and wanted King George to win, and so he wouldn't do anything when they -asked him. The colonists came to his house, but they found very little; -his famous silver plate was gone; they took some things, but they always -thought he had tricked them. And after that they wouldn't have anything -to do with Sir Peter." - -"Served him right, the old scamp." - -"Now Mr. Tuckerman thinks the secret may have something to do with the -things the neighbors couldn't find. At least that's a possibility." - -"Huh," chuckled David, "the Revolution was more than a hundred years -ago. If that was the secret, some of the Cotterells since then would -have found out about it. And when they did, there's an end to the -secret." - -Again Ben was busy. A third flounder appeared and was carefully landed. -"You're right, my boy," said Ben, "if they did find out what became of -Sir Peter's valuables. But suppose they didn't? Suppose Crusty -Christopher and his father, and his father before that, knew the old -story, but never could find the things? How about that, my lad?" - -"Well, in that case," answered David slowly, "I should say the betting -was a thousand to one the secret would stay a secret." - -"Mr. Tuckerman calls it a sporting chance," said Ben. "I said to him -just about what you've said to me now; but he grinned and told me he -never gave up conundrums." - -David dropped back into his former comfortable position, his hands -clasped under his head and his cap pulled down over his nose, so as to -shield that sensitive feature from burning a more fiery red than it was -already. "So Tom and the Professor are prowling around the old house -this morning?" he said reflectively. "Well, they're not apt to run into -any ghosts at this time of day." - -Ben, absorbed in his fishing, continued his careful handling of his line -until half-a-dozen flounders were deposited in the boat. Then he stowed -away his tackle, stretched his arms, and looked around. "Now, Dave, you -old duffer, I'm going to take a cruise about our island home. There's -nothing like knowing all the ins and outs of the place where you're -living. Do you think you're strong enough to handle the tiller, or would -you rather dangle your feet over the bow?" - -David sat up with a grunt. "Don't you get sarcastic, young feller. I can -sail this dory with one hand behind my back." And shortly he had the -_Argo_ headed up into the wind, keeping well out from shore so as to -avoid the occasional spits of rock that ornamented the coast. - -They started to make the circuit. Cotterell's Island, so far as they -could judge from the water, was very much like all the other islands -that lay out from Barmouth, thickly wooded for the most part, with -alternating beaches and headlands, and here and there a cliff, with -little rock-bound basins at the foot. On the eastward side, however, -there was an opening, where the tide ran inland for some distance, a -fair sort of harbor except when the wind should blow from that quarter. -"There," said Ben, "there's a snug landlocked channel. If I'd been one -of the Cotterells and wanted to keep a boat hidden that's the place I'd -have picked out." - -"You're making the Professor's ancestors sound like pirates or -smugglers," objected David. "What do you think they did that they wanted -to keep so dark?" - -"That little inlet can't be so far from the back of the house either," -Ben went on, paying no attention to his companion's question. "Yes, that -would be the place to steal away when the neighbors came to call." - -"I'll take a look up there," declared David, who was beginning to feel -that Ben was giving himself airs. "I guess I can find my way up that -inlet as well as any of your blessed Cotterells could." And suiting the -act to the word, he brought the _Argo_ about and kept her bow a little -to the north of west until she had cleared a seaweed-covered reef that -was high up out of the water at ebb-tide. - -Ben said not a word, but picked up a boathook, in case it should be -necessary to fend off the dory at some turn of the shore. But David knew -his business. Up the winding channel he made his way until the _Argo's_ -bottom gently ran on to gravel at the head of the stream. - -"Yes, I was right," said Ben. "There's the roof of the house on the -other side of those trees." A leap, and he landed on shore, the dory -careening on one side from the force of his jump. - -"Hi there, young feller, what are you trying to do?" cried David. "I -didn't tell you you could go ashore." - -Again Ben paid no attention to the other's words. He was looking about -him as if he was very much interested in the place where he had landed. - -David, making sure the _Argo_ was safely aground, clambered over the -side. "Was it your intention, Mr. Sully, to scuttle our good ship here?" -he inquired with mock politeness. - -"Look," said Ben, in a deep and earnest tone. - -David looked. In the marshy ground a little in front of them were two -distinct footprints, uncommonly large footprints, with very wide toes -and very deep heels. - -"My word!" whistled David. "Benjie, we've come to the lair of the -mastodon!" - -"Footprints!" murmured Ben, regarding the marks with the same awed -surprise with which Robinson Crusoe first gazed at the prints in the -sand of his island. - -[Illustration: Distinct Footprints] - -"A giant's footprints," said David. - -"They're never Mr. Tuckerman's or Tom's," said Ben. - -"The Professor has rather small feet," stated David, "and I happen to -remember that Tom wore sneakers this morning." - -"They can't have been there very long,--not for more than a few days at -the most." - -"I should say not. Benjamin, somebody has been trespassing on our -island." - -"I wonder if there are any more." Ben began to search. - -There were no more footprints, however. The stretch of soggy ground was -very limited, almost immediately the soil grew stony. So, after a brief -hunt, the two came back to the shore. "Now I wonder," mused Ben, "what -that very large-footed person was doing here." - -"Do you think," asked David, "he can have been looking for the Cotterell -treasure?" - -"It's much more likely," said Ben, "he was looking for something easier -to find. However--suppose--there's an off chance----" And Ben went on -mumbling to himself, while he jingled a bunch of keys in his pocket, as -was his custom when he was lost in thought. - -"What in the world are you doing?" demanded the exasperated David. - -"Putting two and two together--or at least trying to." - -"Well, they make four. There are times, Benjie," David continued, -imitating the manner of a teacher at the school they both attended, -"when I find myself almost on the point of losing patience with you. The -crew will now return aboard the _Argo_, leaving the mystery of the -mastodon's footprints unsolved." - -When they returned to the beach in front of their camp they found Mr. -Tuckerman and Tom already getting dinner. That is to say, Tom was -actually getting it, while John Tuckerman was carrying out his orders. -At the moment the latter was peeling potatoes. His flannel shirt open at -his throat, his golf-stockings stuck full of little burrs and his face -and arms already showing blisters of sunburn, he looked decidedly -different from the very dignified person who had come upon Tom Hallett -in the lane. - -"Flounders," announced Ben, laying his string of fish on a board that -served as a table. "The very best eating, in my humble opinion." - -"Put them in the refrigerator for supper," said Tom. "You two were gone -so long I decided to knock up an omelette for our midday meal." - -"'Knock up' is good," agreed David. "I suppose, Mr. Tuckerman, Tom -cracked the shells with a baseball bat." - -"I don't know how he did it," Tuckerman said; "it seemed like a miracle -to me. But there's the result; and if anybody ever saw anything more -truly beautiful--anything so calculated to make the mouth water in -anticipation--well, I don't believe anybody ever did." He pointed his -paring knife at a golden-brown, crisp object that lay, garnished with -watercress, on a big tin plate. - -"And speaking of water," said Tom, "we found the well back of Cotterell -Hall. Fresh water, guaranteed sweet and pure. There's a bucket of it." - -They sat down to dinner, and between mouthfuls they talked. - -"Wonderful old house," said Tom. "We explored it from cellar to attic. -Four post bedsteads----" - -"With wonderful canopy tops!" added Tuckerman, his spectacled eyes -gleaming. - -"And enormous chests of drawers," continued Tom. - -"Full of all kinds of clothes," Tuckerman added. "Ladies' laces and -muslins, shawls, mantillas, gentlemen's pantaloons, neckerchiefs, and -what waistcoats!" - -"Funny old kitchen," said Tom. "With a fireplace as big as a cabin." - -"And a crane and a hob and a whole fleet of earthenware crocks," -Tuckerman supplemented. - -"I say, Mr. Tuckerman," cried David, "why don't you turn the place into -a museum? All the people who tour through Barmouth in the summer would -jump out of their skins to see such a place as that." - -"What I want to know," said Ben, "is whether you got any clue to the -Cotterell treasure." - -Tuckerman shook his head. "Rome wasn't built in a day, Benjamin; and a -treasure that's been hidden for over a century doesn't come to light in -twenty-four hours." - -"Ah, just you wait till our Benjie gets busy," said David, waving his -finger wisely. "There's the bright lad for you. While you two pottered -about those gigantic bedsteads and chests of drawers and fireplaces, -what did our Benjie discover?" He paused to heighten his announcement. -"Benjamin Sully discovered a pair of gigantic footprints!" - -It took a moment for this to sink in. - -"Footprints?" said Tuckerman, puzzled. - -"Someone has landed at the little creek near the back of the house," -explained Ben, "and since the last rain, too." - -"Someone with enormous feet," added David. "Now what do you suppose such -a person as that could be doing here?" - -Tuckerman put his hand into his coat pocket and drew out a very small -and crumpled handkerchief. "We found this on a table in the kitchen. My -Uncle Christopher only had a negro man-servant. And yet this belonged to -a lady,--a very particular lady, I should say, a dainty lady." He spread -the handkerchief out. "With beautifully embroidered initials--A. S. L." -He lifted it to his nose. "And it smells of lavender--and quite fresh, -too." - -Solemnly the tiny handkerchief was handed around. Each smelled it and -nodded his head. - -"Someone's been in the house," said Tuckerman, "although all the doors -were locked." - -"A lady with enormous feet," declared David. "My eye, how the plot -thickens!" - - - - - IV--VISITORS - - -Two days later the campers were as much at sea as ever regarding the -secret to which Crusty Christopher had referred in the note left in the -picture frame. They had explored the island and they had explored the -house, and neither outdoors nor indoors had provided them with a clue. - -John Tuckerman--although David persisted in calling him Professor--was -the most exuberant and lively of the four. He delighted in -everything,--in the early swim before breakfast, in the cooking and -eating, especially in the eating, in sleeping out of doors, and even, it -seemed, in washing the dishes. He would sing as he washed, wild, -rollicking songs, the words of which he made up as he went along, all -about pirates and sailors and sea-serpents, with a great many -"Yo-heave-hos" and "Blow the man down, my lads," by way of chorus; all -which he accompanied with a pretended hitching up of his trousers as -sailors were supposed to do to cheer them at their work. - -"There are times when he almost looks like a pirate," David whispered to -Tom, as they watched Tuckerman sharpening a knife on the sole of his -shoe preparatory to sticking it into a cover of a can of baked beans. -"Like a pirate, that is, with one exception,--those horn-rimmed -spectacles." - -It was true; Tuckerman couldn't look like a daredevil with those -enormous glasses. But to offset the studious look they gave him his face -was now a beautiful lobster-like red and beginning to peel. - -Any one could see, moreover, that Cotterell Hall was the apple of his -eye. It amused Tom and David to see the affection and pride with which -he regarded every stick and stone of the old house. Ben was more -sympathetic, for Ben was by nature interested in old things, and had in -turn collected everything from abandoned bird's nests to rusty -jackknives. - -It was Ben who, searching through a cupboard at one side of the -fireplace in the front room at the Hall, pulled out a package of old -letters and gave a shout of joy. "Hi there, see what I've found!" he -cried as he untied the bundle and threw the envelopes loosely on the -table. - -"What is it? Old letters," said Tom, glancing at the yellowing paper. - -"Postage stamps!" triumphed Ben. "Some of the earliest issues! I'll bet -you never saw that St. Louis stamp with the two bears on it before." - -"Humph," said David. "Postage stamps! No one collects them now." - -But John Tuckerman looked over Ben's shoulder, and then snatched up one -of the letters. "You're right, Benjamin. These are rare ones. I -shouldn't wonder if they were worth a great deal of money." - -It was not, however, the money value of the things in the house that -interested Tuckerman. It was partly his love of old things, especially -of things that were beautifully made, and partly his feeling that they -had belonged to the Cotterells for so long, the Cotterells being his own -people. "Uncle Christopher owned all these things," he said. "Poor Uncle -Christopher. He was stiff-necked, no doubt; but he had to suffer for it. -I've found a book he wrote in, and I can see that he was too proud to -sell his heirlooms, and that he had very little money, and didn't want -anyone to know how hard up he was. So he turned hermit. He didn't really -hate other people; he was simply so made up that he couldn't mix with -them on an equal footing." - -David pretended to regard the Cotterell family secret as a great joke, -although he admitted that he was very much puzzled over what he called -"the mystery of the lady with enormous feet." On the same afternoon when -Ben found the rare postage stamps, David, being alone with Tom in the -front room, cocked an eye at the painted gentleman on the wall, and thus -addressed him: - -"Sir Peter, I don't want to be disrespectful; but it does seem to me you -were mighty tight with your silver when your good neighbors were doing -their best to get the thirteen United States started. Or didn't you -really have the things they suspected you of having? You've got a long -nose and a twinkle in your eye, and I'd say it mightn't be beyond you to -have your little game at the expense of Barmouth." - -Tom laughed. "You can't judge Sir Peter by yourself, Dave." - -"Certainly not," was the instant reply. "I'll admit we are very -different. Nothing could induce me to have my picture taken with a dog -like that greyhound cuddling up against my shins. The good people of -Barmouth didn't have any greyhounds or any pie crust tables or -gate-legged tables, or whatever kind of tables it is that the Professor -finds so delightful, and they were envious, and rowed their boats out -here, and tramped up to the door, probably looking for all the world -like a gang of hayseeds." - -"Remember, Dave, your ancestors and mine were probably among them." - -"I'll admit that also," said David, "and for the sake of your feelings, -Tom, I'll take back that about their looking like hayseeds. Let me put -it this way. A crowd of very nice looking, but temporarily cross and -angry people--men and women, and possibly a few dogs--come up to the -house here and demand to see the elegant Sir Peter. Sir Peter doesn't -want to see them; he doesn't approve of them; he thinks that good old -King George is just about the proper cheese to rule over him and his. -But Sir Peter's a gentleman--you can see that from his portrait--and he -doesn't want to disappoint the neighbors, who've come all the way out -here in boats. So he takes a pinch of snuff and he whistles to his -greyhound and he goes out on the front steps. He looks down along his -nose at the people of Barmouth and his right eye twinkles--you notice, -Tom, that it's his right eye that's the humorous one--and he says: -'Friends and fellow citizens, come in and enjoy yourselves. The green -and gold pineapple is over the door and Cotterell Hall is yours for the -afternoon. But the silver plate you're so anxious to lay your hands on -isn't here any more. It's vanished, vamoosed, flown away; and the family -are using the plain blue and white china kitchen set.' Did they believe -him?" - -"No," sang out Tom. - -"Exactly," agreed David, with a bow. "They rushed past him into the -house, and they threw things about, and they buzzed around like a nest -of hornets you happen to hit with a stick. But they didn't find anything -after all; and the reason is simple--there wasn't anything of the sort -they had in mind to find. It was just Sir Peter's little joke. And it -worked to perfection. Ever since people have been wondering what he did -with the silverware he mentioned that day. Sir Peter, my opinion of you -is that you were a first-class joker." - -"You may be right," Tom assented, "but for goodness' sake don't rub that -idea in on Mr. Tuckerman and Ben. They're thrilled to the fingertips -about there being a treasure hidden away somewhere." - -"Babes in the wood!" sniffed David. "I believe you could put almost -anything over on the Professor if you dressed it up in old clothes." - -To the skeptical David and the inclined-to-be-skeptical Tom the other -two now appeared. They had been in the apartment on the second floor -that had been Christopher Cotterell's bedroom and had been rummaging -through a little secretary that stood between the windows. Tuckerman had -a notebook in his hand. "These are jottings my uncle made from time to -time," he declared. "Here's one. 'As regards the saying that the -hiding-place is just beyond the three pines that stand between two rocks -where the sun goes down, I have scoured and scoured the island, and come -to the opinion that the extreme southwestern point must be the place -intended, although to-day there are only two pines there. I have dug at -this place, but found only sand.'" - -"Maybe we can find another place that answers that description," said -Ben hopefully. "And it stands to reason that the four of us can dig -better than your Uncle Christopher, even if he had his servant to help -him." - -David, under cover of his hand, winked at Tom, who pretended not to see -him. - -"Here's another note," Tuckerman continued. "'Find the mahogany-hued man -with the long, skinny legs and look in his breast pocket.' That's a -saying my father handed down. What can it mean?" - -"Mahogany-hued man with long, skinny legs," echoed Ben. - -"And a hooked nose and a scar across the left cheek," chortled David. -"Pirate stuff, of course. There's always someone like that. I suppose -he's the fellow who hid the treasure on a dark, stormy night." - -Tuckerman gazed at the speaker with his big, owl-like eyes. "You may be -right, although I rather thought of him as a faithful, old-fashioned -serving-man, from whom Sir Peter had no secrets." - -David grinned; but how could anyone joke on a matter that Tuckerman took -so seriously? "Have it your own way," he said. "Probably you're right. -But hooked-nose pirate or faithful servant I don't see how the mahogany -one can be of much help to us here to-day." - -Tuckerman closed the notebook. "Suppose we go down to the southwestern -point. At least we'll get a good view of the sunset and freshen up for -supper." - -When they came to that end of the island they found the ledges and -neighboring sand covered with a vast array of sandpipers, all with their -heads turned in the same direction, watching, as it were, a score or so -of leaders, who stood out in front, closest to the water. Quietly though -the four crept up, they were still a couple of dozen yards from the rear -ranks when, with one accord and with as smooth a motion as though a sail -were being drawn across the beach, the hundreds of little winged bodies -rose in air and flew out across the waves. - -"By Jove, that's pretty!" said Tom. "They're like ever so many bits of -silver paper blowing about in the wind." - -So they were. Fascinated, the four watched the sandpipers. When the -birds were tilted one way, on one tack, they could hardly be seen -against the light, they actually disappeared. Then a tiny deflection, a -dip and twist of the wings, and they were a network of silver, drawn -this way, then that. They wheeled, they rose, they dropped; no human -beings ever moved in such perfect precision; it was not as if they -followed a leader, it was as if every single sandpiper of the hundreds -knew instinctively what the bird just ahead of him would do. And at last -they descended, like falling leaves, on a flat rock out in the water. - -"I don't see how they can do it," sighed Ben. "We could drill and drill -forever, and never get anything like that. Don't tell me that sandpipers -haven't brains." - -"You bet your boots they have," said David. "Fine little fellows! I -don't see how anybody can possibly want to shoot them." - -The little fellows rose again and went soaring off against the sunset -sky. - -Tuckerman drew a long breath. "You boys who live by the seashore have -much to be thankful for. The pioneers who pushed inland must have been -awfully homesick for just such sights as that. Gee whillikins! What a -gorgeous sky! I could look at it for hours." - -His companions, however, had other things to do. They wanted to locate -the two pines that stood between the two rocks. A short search -discovered them. The trees, old and gnarled, twisted of branches on the -eastern side, where the winter winds had lashed them, still stood like -sentinels between the lichen-covered boulders, where Christopher -Cotterell and doubtless others before him back to the days of Peter had -surveyed them. - -"They're here all right," said Ben. "What was it the notebook said? 'I -have dug at this place, but found only sand.' Well, there's plenty of -sand--oodles of it. But if you ask my opinion, this isn't the place to -dig." - -"You're lazy," scoffed David. "Tell me, Mr. Man, why in your learned -opinion isn't this the right place to dig?" - -"I've a hunch it isn't," answered Ben. - -Tuckerman looked at the serious-faced small fellow, and suddenly gave a -laugh. "I've got the same sort of a hunch myself. My uncle Christopher -dug here and didn't find anything. I don't want to do his work all over -again." - -They let it go at that, and slowly, with an eye to the sunset, which -every moment grew more like a vast palette on which many colors were -mixed, went back by the path through the woods that skirted the western -shore. They reached the old house, and were passing it on their way to -the camp when Tom abruptly halted. "I say, I saw something moving at -that corner window on the second floor! Something white--yes, sir, it -moved. I'll take my word to that!" - -All stopped and gazed at the house. The windows were closed, no curtain -could have been blowing. - -"Nonsense," said David. "What you saw was the sunset reflected on the -glass." - -"I'll bet it wasn't," Tom retorted. And straightway he went up the -graveled walk that led to the front door. - -Now usually John Tuckerman had been careful to lock the door when he -left the house, but this time he had forgotten. Tom turned the knob and -pushed the door open. - -They all went into the hall and stood there listening. Undoubtedly there -was the sound of footsteps on the floor above. - -"That sounds to me like a giggle," whispered Ben. - -"Sh-ssh," warned David. - -Footsteps tapped on the floor, were coming apparently toward the head of -the staircase. - -Then unmistakably there was a laugh, a light and merry laugh, in a -feminine key. - -In the silence that followed David's voice rose. "The lady with the -enormous feet!" he muttered. - -A patter of feet and there came into view two ladies, two ladies in -hoopskirts, with white stockings and little black slippers laced with -black ribbons, and flowered silk waists and flat, mushroom-shaped hats -with streamers falling behind. They stood at the head of the staircase -and stared down at the four below. - -"It's Milly and Sally Hooper!" exclaimed Tom. - -"Did I hear someone whisper 'The lady with the enormous feet?'" Milly -Hallett wrinkled her nose and stuck out the tip of her tongue. "Sarah, -my dear, the gentlemen aren't so gallant as they used to be. Whoever saw -neater, sweeter slippers than these we have on!" - -Slowly, with a hand to each side of their skirts, which swayed like -great balloons, the two girls came down the stairs. - -At the foot John Tuckerman stood, bowing. "Ladies, you greatly honor my -poor house," he declared. - -"Who is the gentleman, Milly?" asked Sarah Hooper, a black-haired, -black-eyed girl with scarlet ribbons to her hat. - -"Faith, I think it must be one of the comely Cotterells," said Milly. -"What a fine sunburn he has!" - -"John Tuckerman, at your service," said that gentleman. "Nephew of Mr. -Christopher." - -Milly Hallett's blue eyes danced with delightful mischief. "And Mr. -Tuckerman, who are the three extraordinary young persons standing in a -row behind you? They do look so funny! Such remarkable clothes." - -David looked at Ben, and Ben looked at Tom, and Tom looked down at his -khaki trousers, which still bore patches of white and green paint -acquired a month ago when he was freshening up his canoe. - -"Ladies, these are three experts," Tuckerman explained. "The gentleman -with the yellow hair and the zebra stripes on his trousers is an expert -skipper, the one with the midnight hair and the rich mahogany skin is an -expert fisherman, and the third--with the splendid red complexion and -the curling locks--can cook a meal that will make you forget every other -breakfast or dinner or supper you ever sat down to." - -"Really!" exclaimed Sarah. "Milly dear, something reminds me that it's a -long time since we tasted food." - -"I was just about to touch on that point," said Tuckerman. "Will you do -us the honor of breaking bread with us? That is, if you won't injure -your exquisite gowns by eating out of doors." - -"They can't sit on the grass in those things," Tom declared. "They'd -ruin them for fair." - -"Oh, can't we!" cried Milly and Sarah in chorus. "Just you watch us do -it!" - -And in spite of hoopskirts and tiny slippers and gingerly-perched hats -the two girls ran to the front door and down the steps to the path. The -other four, catching up with them, piloted them to camp. - -On the way Milly explained. She had felt that she just had to find out -what was going on at Cotterell's Island--she had feared that bears or -ghosts, mosquitoes or robbers might have made an end of her brother and -his friends; so she had gotten Sally Hooper, and they had taken Sally's -father's sailboat and sailed out to the island. They hadn't seen the -boys; but when they went up to the white house they found the front door -unlocked. They went in and looked the place all over. In a room on the -second floor they found oceans of clothes in chests and closets, and -they simply had to try some of them on. Then they thought they'd -surprise the campers. And they certainly had done that, she concluded, -because she had never seen four people look so astonished as those four -had when they saw Sally and her come to the top of the stairs. - -In fifteen minutes supper was under way, a truly marvellous supper, for -David was determined to show these skeptical girls what a howling cook -he was. The guests were not allowed to soil their fingers; as a matter -of fact they found they had their hands full with trying to manage their -ridiculous hoopskirts and sit down in them without smashing the hoops. -But they did contrive to seat themselves on a grassy bank, and Milly -took off her slippers--which were horribly tight--and the two watched -their four serving-men get supper, and occasionally put in a word or so -of advice. - -When each of the six had declared that they could not possibly eat a -single additional pancake--no matter how much golden syrup was offered -as an extra inducement--supper came to a conclusion, and Milly cast a -reflective eye out on the water. - -"Sally and I must be starting back," she said with a sigh; "and I don't -suppose they'd let us land in Barmouth, dressed in these funny old -clothes." - -Sarah Hooper looked at David, who sat cross-legged on the ground, -resting after his labors. "You're a very superior chef," she admitted; -"but I want to know what you meant when you heard us upstairs and -murmured, 'The lady with the enormous feet.' Oh yes, I heard you; and -those were the very words you used." - -David laughed. "I plead guilty. But I didn't refer to either you or -Milly. I was thinking of a little detective work we have on hand." - -Then he had to explain about the discovery of the very large footprints -on the bank of the creek and the finding of a lady's lavender-scented -handkerchief, with the initials A. S. L., in the kitchen. - -"Oh, I love mysteries!" said Sarah. "I'm always reading detective -stories and working them out before the author tells you exactly what -did happen." - -"There's the man for you then," said David, pointing at Ben. "Eats 'em -alive, he does." - -"Huge footprints and a lady's handkerchief," murmured Milly. "That is a -funny combination. But we really must go, or Sally's mother and father -will be sending out searching parties." - -They all walked back to the house, and the two girls went upstairs to -change into their own clothes. When they came down again, much more -comfortably dressed, they found the others in the big front room, where -Tuckerman had lighted the candles. - -"How lovely!" exclaimed the romantic Sarah. "I adore old furniture. What -a duck of a divan! And that beautiful secretary." She looked at a desk -that stood in a corner, at the other end from the fireplace. "It's -mahogany, of course--and what perfect, long, fluted, shiny legs it has!" - -"What's that?" said Ben. "Say it again, and slower." - -"I tell you we must be going back," declared Milly positively. "Never -mind these ducky old things, Sally. Think of your waiting parents." - -So Sally had to go, and they all trooped down to the pier, where Mr. -Hooper's sailboat was bobbing about on the tide. - -Tom insisted that he would take the _Argo_, to convoy the girls home; -but Milly also insisted that he should do nothing of the kind; she knew -how to handle a boat quite as well as her brother, the wind was right, -the water smooth, and she had often sailed later in the evening than -that. Nevertheless when Milly's boat was out from the island, the -campers embarked in the _Argo_ and sailed along after them, until the -lights of Barmouth were visible right ahead. Then, with a good-night -shout, the crew of the _Argo_ brought their craft about and headed back -for the pier. - -They walked through the moonlit woods to their camp, cleaned the dishes, -and made things snug for the night. As Ben, seated on a log, pulled off -his shoes, he said to Tom, who sat near him: "Did you hear what Sally -said about that desk in the corner?" - -"Duck of a thing--some such nonsense." - -"No. She said, 'Mahogany, of course. And what long, fluted, shiny -legs.'" - -"Perhaps she did. I don't remember." - -"Doesn't that convey anything to your mind, Tom?" - -"Can't say it does. Mahogany--legs. Oh, I'm too sleepy to think of -anything." - -"Well, it conveys something to me," said Ben. "I think maybe I've got a -clue, thanks to innocent Sally. I suppose it's too late to go back to -the house to-night?" - -"It's too late to go anywhere except to sleep," answered Tom shortly. "I -guess your clue will keep. If it's got anything to do with Sir Peter's -treasure, it's kept for a hundred years." - -Tom gave a gigantic yawn, and rolled over on to his bed. - -But Ben lay awake for some time, until he got the sound of the lapping -of waves on the beach mixed with John Tuckerman's voice singing -"Yo--heave--ho, my lads," and then he fell asleep. - - - - - V--THE MAHOGANY MAN - - -Mr. Tuckerman was doing the crawl-stroke--slowly and laboriously, with -almost as much splashing as a small paddle-wheel steamboat makes--but -still very much better than he had been able to do it two days before. -He was heading toward a rock, on which Tom, straight as an arrow and -almost as brown as a chocolate drop, stood with his arms pointed -outward, ready to dive. - -Ben stood back of Tom, slapping his dripping thighs and hopping about on -his toes. In the water David was floating, as comfortable and serene as -a harbor seal taking an afternoon nap. "Look out, Professor," he -cautioned; "Tom might land on your head. He's a terrible practical -joker. Don't you let him use you as a cushion." - -Tuckerman plowed along, gasping a little, his eyes fixed on the rock. - -Tom dove, and came up alongside David. "If I was picking out a cushion, -I'd take you. You'd make a bully springboard. Push right along, Mr. -Tuckerman. You're doing nobly." - -Ben gave a whoop. "Look out there!" Lithe as an eel, and seemingly made -of rubber, he sprang from the rock, turned a somersault, and shot -smoothly into the water. He reappeared, looking like a porpoise, his -black hair all shiny, and with a few lusty flaps reached the rock again -just as Tuckerman, breathless, put out his hands to clutch at the -slippery side. - -"You're a regular flying-fish," Ben complimented Tuckerman, as the -latter, careful not to scrape too close against the rough edge of rock, -drew himself slowly up to the level top. "I don't believe any of your -friends out in the plain country of Illinois would know you if they -happened to see you now." - -"I don't believe they would," agreed Tuckerman, sitting down gingerly -and embracing his knees with his hands. "I know I look like a red -Indian, and I feel as if I'd got a thousand more muscles than I ever had -before." - -"If you don't mind----" said Ben; and putting his hands on Tuckerman's -shoulders he made a leap-frog jump over the latter's head and splashed -loudly into the water. - -"Well," said David, changing his position from floating to treading -water, "I think the coffee must be boiling now. It's time I dropped -those eggs." And with leisurely strokes he made for the beach, where he -had thoughtfully left a Turkish towel beside his pile of clothes. - -The others followed suit, and had soon arrayed themselves in the few -garments they thought needful to wear in their island home. David poured -the coffee and attended to the toast and eggs, which had been procured -the day before from a farmer on the mainland. And as they ate, Ben -propounded the question: - -"Fellows, what was it Christopher Cotterell said about a mahogany man?" - -"He said," Tuckerman answered, "'Find the mahogany-hued man with the -long, skinny legs and look in his breast pocket.'" - -"Exactly," said Ben slowly. "Well, I've got an idea I know where to find -that man." - -The other three looked at him in utter amazement. "The dickens you have, -Benjie!" retorted Tom. "Why, he couldn't be alive now." - -"Perhaps Ben thinks he's a mummy," suggested David, "or a piece of wood -that's turned to stone." - -"Maybe I do," Ben chuckled. "You're getting warm, old horse. Long, -skinny legs--doesn't that remind you of something? Haven't you seen any -that answer that description in this neighborhood?" - -"You're not referring to mine?" asked Tuckerman. - -The breakfast-party laughed, the Professor wore such a look of injured -dignity. - -"No, sir, not to yours," Ben said. "Yours are fat as a drum compared to -those I have in mind." - -"I remember Ben mumbled something about this last night," mused Tom. -"But I was too sleepy to listen. He said something about Sally Hooper, -too; something about her giving him an idea." - -Ben nodded. "So she did." - -"Didn't I always claim that our Benjie was a real detective?" said -David. "Clean up first; and then for the yarn." - -Breakfast things were put away in their box, and then the three turned -to Ben. "Where's your mahogany man?" they demanded in one voice. - -"There's no hurry," was the tantalizing answer. "Perhaps I'd better go -fishing first." - -Tom laid his hand on the other boy's shoulder and twisted him around. -"Lead us to him," he commanded. - -Ben shrugged. "Oh, very well. You're more interested than you were last -night. Come along, but don't make any noise." - -He led them to Cotterell Hall. Tuckerman had locked the front door after -the girls had left on the night before, and now he opened it with the -key he kept in his trouser pocket. - -Ben led them into the hall, and then into the big front room, which was -now flooded with sunlight. - -"Look around," he announced; "and tell me what you see." - -They looked about the room with puzzled faces. "Rats!" exclaimed David. -"I don't see any man here." - -Ben glanced at Tuckerman. "Long, skinny, mahogany-colored legs," he -murmured. - -"Not Sir Peter's portrait?" said Tuckerman. - -Ben walked across the room in the direction of the secretary. "When -Sally came in here last night," he explained, "she said something about -this desk. 'Mahogany, I suppose--and what long, fluted, shiny legs.' -Well, it has, hasn't it?" He laid his hand on the secretary. "Mightn't -this be the man?" - -"You're joking," Tom protested; while David looked from the desk to his -friend's serious face as if he thought Ben must be plain crazy. - -Tuckerman, however, laid his hand also on the piece of furniture. "They -liked their little joke in the old days," he observed. "It might be, -Ben. If that's so----" He turned the small brass key in the lock of the -lid, and pulling out the two supports on either side of the lower -drawers let the lid down on them. "If that's so; and this is the -mahogany man--where's his breast pocket?" - -There were small drawers inside, and a row of pigeonholes to either side -of a central compartment that was also locked by a key. - -"Somewhere up in his chest," said Ben. - -Tuckerman pulled out the drawers and emptied their contents, small -objects, keys, pencils, bits of sealing-wax, a few sheets of blank -paper. He put his hand in the pigeonholes and drew out several bundles -of letters. "I've been through all these things before," he said with a -shake of his head. - -"That place in the middle," Tom suggested. - -"Only an ink-stand," said Tuckerman; and unlocking the little door he -drew forth a big glass inkstand with a brass top. That was all there was -in the little cupboard; all the contents of the upper part of the -secretary were arrayed on the lid. - -"No go," said David. "The man hasn't anything in his pocket to give us -any clue." - -"I must say," said Tom, "it does seem ridiculous to me that anyone could -have meant that desk----" - -"I've heard," mumbled Ben, who was paying no attention to what the -others were saying, "that old desks have secret compartments. My -grandfather has an old one that looks something like this. Let me -see----" He slipped his hand into the pigeonhole on the right of the -little door Tuckerman had unlocked, and began to feel around. "I say! -Here's something. It feels like a wooden spring." - -Tuckerman put his hand into the central compartment. "Push on the -spring," he directed. - -Ben pushed and Tuckerman at the same moment pulled out the cupboard that -had harbored the inkstand. It was a box that fitted snugly into the -centre of the secretary. - -"Well, that's a great stunt," said Tom. "It comes to pieces like a nest -of drawers." - -The four, their heads close together, looked into the space from which -the cupboard had come. - -All they saw was an unvarnished piece of pine board, apparently the back -of the desk. - -"Looks like my grandfather's," said Ben. "Yes, there's a couple of -holes." And putting his forefinger and thumb into two indentations in -the wood at the back, he wriggled his hand around and drew out a small -drawer. - -"Empty!" he muttered, disappointed, holding the drawer so that the -others could see. - -Again he put his hand into the opening and drew out a second drawer that -had been under the first one. This also was empty. - -"One more chance." He pulled out the bottom drawer. In this there was -something. Holding it upside down, a small roll of paper fell out on the -lid of the desk. - -"A piece of parchment," said Tuckerman, picking up the roll. He opened -it out, holding it taut in his two hands. - -All eyes focussed on the sheet, on which were scrawled, in a faint -purplish ink, these lines: - - I took the box - cliff where was - meaning to es - but they were - and so I hid - pocket in the - are two big - make a mark - -Tuckerman read these words aloud, three times over. Then he gave a -grunt. "Well, that's that. And it's not so very illuminating, is it?" - -Ben took the parchment. "Somebody's cut it across. See, the right hand -words are close to the edge. How disgusting!" - -David and Tom each handled the parchment, which was finally laid on the -desk-lid, with the inkstand to keep it from curling up into its original -tight roll. - -David stroked his chin, pretending to be lost in thought. "Somebody took -the box--to the cliff--but they were--and so somebody hid the box--in -his pocket--there are two big--that make a mark. I gather from that line -about the pocket that the box was pretty small." - -"It doesn't say he hid it in his pocket," Ben objected. "It might have -been a pocket in the cliff just as well." - -"Who do you suppose he was?" asked Tom. - -"Why, Peter Cotterell, of course," David answered promptly. - -"I don't know about that," said Tuckerman. "This handwriting doesn't -look like that of a man who was used to holding the pen. See how he's -gone over some of the letters several times, as if he wasn't precisely -sure how he ought to form them. Sir Peter was a well-educated gentleman. -He must have known how to use a quill." - -"Perhaps he wanted to disguise his handwriting," David suggested. - -"Why would he want to do that?" Ben retorted. "Whoever wrote that meant -to leave a record of what he'd done with the box. There wouldn't be any -sense in faking his handwriting--certainly not if he intended to hide -the parchment away in a secret drawer of the desk." - -"What sense would there be in his cutting it in two then?" Tom inquired. - -Tuckerman, who was sitting on the arm of a chair, threw back his head -and laughed. "Here we are arguing about something that happened ever so -long ago, and we haven't the least idea why it happened this way." He -turned to the portrait on the wall and shook his finger at it. "You--or -some of your household--knew how to make first-class puzzles, Sir -Peter." Then, as he swung around to the three boys, he added: - -"My guess is that there's a pocket in a cliff somewhere on this island, -and that there is--or was--a box hidden in it." - -"Find the cliff," said Tom. - -Ben shook his head. "There are dozens of cliffs." - -"Well, you won't find anything more in your mahogany man's breast -pocket," Tom answered. "You can see for yourself it's empty." - -"My idea is," said David, "that we get the _Argo_ and sail round the -island till we sight a likely-looking cliff." - -"That appeals to me," agreed Tuckerman, "and Tom can give me another -lesson in how to handle a boat." - -The parchment was put in its drawer, the three drawers replaced, the -cupboard pushed back and caught by its spring, and the desk-lid lifted -and locked. - -"I'd a heap rather hunt for clues out of doors on a day like this," said -David. - -But Ben sat down on a divan. "I want to do a little thinking, fellows. -You go along without me. Maybe I'll go fishing for dinners off the rocks -after a while." - -They laughed at Ben; but he would not be dissuaded. He wanted to do some -thinking, and he meant to. "Stubborn as a mule," said Tom. "He gets his -mind set on a thing, and dynamite won't budge him." - -So the others went down to the sailboat; and presently Ben, getting up -from the divan, went out and cut himself a stick of willow. He brought -it back and began to whittle shavings all over the hardwood floor of -Cotterell Hall. He had seen men down on the Barmouth docks whittle -shavings for hours, and he had copied the habit. He found it a great -help when he wanted to think things out. - - - - - VI--THE CLIPPER SHIP - - -Ben Sully was a boy who would rather work out a puzzle than do almost -anything else. He had a tremendous amount of patience, which possibly -explains why he was such a successful fisherman, since he could wait -longer, dangling a piece of bait in the water, than nine out of ten -fishes could resist the temptation to find out what the bait tasted -like. Any kind of a _puzzle_, from cut out sections of cardboard that -fitted together to make a picture all the way to ingenious contraptions -of metal links that didn't want to come apart, was a delight to Ben. He -had boxes and boxes of them stored away in a closet at home. He had -invented secret codes and cryptograms by the score, and when he was only -ten years old had constructed a private language of twenty-five words -that he had taught to Tom and David and which the three of them had used -among themselves to the great admiration and envy of all the rest of -their school. - -Naturally then Ben felt that this _puzzle_ of Peter Cotterell's treasure -was right in his line, and the finding of the half-sheet of parchment -whetted his appetite to discover more. He walked about the room, -whittling shavings right and left, he sat down and kept on whittling, he -stood up again, and since by now the willow-stick had been whittled down -to almost nothing, he threw what was left in the fireplace. - -That done, he went to a bookcase and took down from the shelf on top the -old notebook that Tuckerman had found in his uncle's bedroom. He thumbed -the pages until he came to the place where Tuckerman had inserted a slip -of paper. Ben read the words at the top of the page out loud. "Find the -mahogany-hued man with the long, skinny legs and look in his breast -pocket. That's a saying my father handed down. What can it mean?" Ben -looked at the desk. "Well, we've done that, anyhow." He shook his head -in deep thought. "I don't understand why that piece of parchment wasn't -discovered before. They might not have taken the desk to be the mahogany -man; but surely Crusty Christopher or his father would have known of -those three little drawers. However, they might have found that writing -and left it there. That's possible, of course. Probably it didn't tell -them any more than it's told us so far." - -Turning again to the notebook, he ran his eye down the page. Nothing but -Christopher Cotterell's comments on all sorts of subjects, nothing that -interested Ben. He turned a page, two pages, another, and then his -glance fell on this: "I've heard that the old clipper ship got some of -the cargo that the mahogany man carried. But if she did, what use is -that to us now? She sailed out of Barmouth Harbor during the -Revolution." - -On and on down the page Ben's eyes traveled, but lighted on nothing that -caught his special attention. So he went back and reread that passage. -Then he closed the book, replaced it on the shelf, stuck his hands in -his pockets, and stared through the window. - -"I wonder if there was a real mahogany man," he mused, "and a real ship. -There might have been. There were men from the West Indies in this part -of the country in those days. One of them might have had valuables in -his clothes, and part of the things he was guarding might have been -carried off in the hold of a ship. Was there a real man, or was it that -secretary? And how about the ship?" - -Presently Ben walked around the drawing-room, as if he were searching -for something. From there he went to the dining-room and the kitchen, -and then upstairs to Christopher Cotterell's bedroom. He looked into -closets and behind curtains, he pulled open wardrobe doors and peered in -at the shelves. But each time he shook his head, as much as to say: -"There's nothing there that I want." - -Under the slanting roof at the top of the house was an attic, already -explored by Tuckerman and the boys. It was filled with every kind of -thing, from an ancient lacquered Indian temple--the green and gold of -the lacquer now sadly tarnished and chipped--to a collection of Red -Men's arrowheads, neatly fastened to a board by small straps of leather. -Ben looked around at the strange medley of objects, thinking how many -countries and how many different races of men had contributed to the -furnishing of this attic; and then his roving eyes lighted on something -that made them glisten--on a bracket against the wall sat the model of a -ship. - -Ben knew the model to be that of a Yankee clipper--three masts, loftily -rigged, with three sky-sail yards, and a long mainyard. She was -beautifully built, every detail complete, the deck and hull shining with -varnish. "Hello," sang out Ben, "clipper ship ahoy!" And pushing a box -close against the wall he stepped up opposite the bracket. - -In the deck of the model was a little lid. He pried this up with his -knife-blade. There was just room for him to squeeze his fingers through, -and when he drew them out again they held a small roll of paper. - -"Yes," said Ben, "it's parchment," and very much thrilled he took his -find over to the window and smoothed it out. - -The ink on this parchment was faint and purplish, like that on the sheet -already found in the desk, and the left hand words were close to the -edge. Ben read them aloud: - - to the north - the boat - cape with it - off the shore - it in the - rocks. There - veins that - like a cross. - James Sampson. - -"Good enough!" said Ben, and ran down the stairs to the first floor. - -The little drawer in the secretary was again made to disgorge its -half-sheet of parchment and Ben laid the two papers side by side on the -desk-lid. They fitted perfectly; now their message was complete. - - I took the box to the north - cliff where was the boat - meaning to escape with it - but they were off the shore - and so I hid it in the - pocket in the rocks. There - are two big veins that - make a mark like a cross. - James Sampson. - -"Well, that's clear enough," said Ben, "though why anyone should cut -James Sampson's writing in two is more than I can understand." He copied -the words on a sheet of paper and put the two pieces of parchment in the -secret drawer. "Now let's see what we've got. Sampson meant to leave the -island with his box at the northern end, but he saw some enemies waiting -there, so he hid the box in a crevice where the rocks are marked like a -cross. All right for Mr. Sampson. That's easy sailing. But why didn't -some of the Cotterells find what was in the hold of that little ship's -model long before this? Funny--that is." Again his brows bent in -thought. "Was James Sampson the real mahogany man? Was there a real -clipper ship?" At last he shook his head. "I don't know. But at least -I've found something." - -Ben left the house. It was noon, and warm. The others were sailing -around the island; there was no knowing when they would be back. He -debated whether to go fishing, and finally decided against it. Without -any definite purpose in mind he took the path at the back of Cotterell -Hall that led toward the little creek. - -It was only a short distance across to the inlet where David and he had -landed. He went through the bushes and trees until he saw the water -before him. There was the creek and there was the marshy ground where -they had found the footprints. He descended the bank to look at the -marks again. - -There were no footprints there now: they had utterly vanished! - -Ben hunted along the edge of the creek, although he was positive where -the marks had been. There was not a sign of them. There had been no rain -to wash them out. The soggy ground was above the reach of the tide. -There was only one explanation: someone had been there since David and -he had landed and had carefully removed any sign of footsteps. - -To discover footprints on a supposedly uninhabited shore is thrilling, -but to discover that those footprints have disappeared is even more -exciting. What did it mean? Well, to Ben it clearly indicated that the -person who had made those marks in the first place had some very good -reason for wanting no one to know that he had been there. - -Cotterell's treasure was an ancient mystery; but this was a new one, no -older in fact than the day before yesterday. This was new matter over -which to cudgel one's brains, and Ben, sitting on the bank, gave deep -consideration to it until he saw the sail of the _Argo_ creeping up from -the south. - -Should he tell the others of his discoveries or not? He decided to keep -them a secret, including the vanished footprints, for a short time at -least. But he jumped up, and ran down to the shore, and sent an -ear-piercing yell across the water. The answer was a wave from Tom, and -presently the _Argo_ drew closer inland and laid her course for a small, -grass-topped headland on Ben's side of the creek. - -"Don't jump; slide down, Benjie, slide," directed Tom. - -"And slide gently," added David. "Not as if you were making for third -base with the ball getting there before you. Remember the Professor's at -the helm and we don't want to tilt the boat." - -"Don't you worry," sang out Ben. "I'll drop in so you'll think I'm as -light as a feather." And as the _Argo_ slipped along under the headland -he let himself down, lightly and easily, but, as it happened, right on -the shoulders of David. - -The big fellow gave a growl. Ben's legs had somehow contrived to twine -themselves around David's neck, and Ben was sitting there on the broad -shoulders, his hands on the other boy's head. - -"Hi there! Look out!" cried Tuckerman. "You'll upset the whole shebang!" - -But Tom came to the skipper's rescue. A steadying hand on the tiller and -the _Argo_ moved out from the shore. - -Slowly Ben pushed David forward until they both came down in a heap in -the little cockpit. "Behave yourselves," ordered Tom. "I've got a dipper -here and I'll souse you both with cold water!" - -The threat was enough. The two sat up. David grinned. "The little -feller's all right; he's got some muscle. I shouldn't wonder if I could -make a real man out of him some day." - -Under Tom's teaching John Tuckerman was learning something about -handling a sailing dory, just as Ben had given him lessons in flounder -fishing, David in making flapjacks, and the three in various swimming -strokes. It was true that he still regarded the _Argo's_ sail, when a -sudden puff of wind filled it, as an inexperienced driver regards his -horse when the animal shows signs of shying--his muscles grew tense, and -he frowned, and stopped talking--but he didn't ask Tom what to do and he -managed to keep the dory fairly close to the course he intended. And he -was a good sport! He didn't try to crawl out of his mistakes by arguing -about them; he admitted them with a grin, and that grin was always so -whole-souled and hearty that it made one want to slap him on the back -and tell him that he hadn't really made a mistake after all. - -When Tuckerman had the _Argo_ well in hand again and could think of -other matters, he said to Ben, "We've seen plenty of rocks and ledges, -but nary a thing that could properly be called a cliff. A cliff, I take -it, is something fairly high and mighty, not so steep as Gibraltar -perhaps, but as large as a good-sized barn-door." - -"While we've been hunting for cliffs," said David, "I suppose Ben has -worked this all out. What are your conclusions, oh wise one?" - -"Never you mind, my boy. The clever magician waits till he has -everything in order before he performs his trick." - -"Ben's got something up his sleeve," put in Tom. "I can always tell when -he talks in that grand way. But there's no use trying to make him tell -us, Dave. The way to make an oyster talk is to pay no attention to it." - -Ben said nothing, though the temptation was great as the _Argo_ reached -the northern end of the island, where high rocks came down to the water. - -Tuckerman admitted these were cliffs, but there were a number of them, -and how was he to tell which was the one they wanted? They sailed slowly -along, watching the shore and speculating as to what the message in the -desk referred. And while the other three talked Ben sat silent, trying -to picture what had happened to James Sampson there more than a century -before. - -Ben had a good imagination, and it led him to see Sampson as a servant -of Sir Peter Cotterell, a faithful serving-man, who always did what his -master told him. When the men of Barmouth threatened to take Sir Peter's -treasure the old Tory gave some of his most valuable possessions to -Sampson, and the latter carried them to this end of the island where he -had a small boat that should carry him to the mainland. When he reached -the shore, however, he saw other Barmouth men patrolling the coast in -their own boats and so his escape that way was cut off. With quick wit -he hid the treasures in a cleft of the rock and blocked up the -hiding-place. Ben could see it all, even to Sir Peter, in knee-breeches -and wig, commending James Sampson when the man returned and related what -he had done. "Good and faithful servant," said Sir Peter; "the rascals -are outwitted again!" And doubtless Sir Peter took Sampson into the -dining-room and poured him out a glass of rum. Ben wasn't sure about -that; it might not have been rum; but rum sounded well, it smacked of -old-time adventure. Yes, probably it was rum; and Sampson had wiped his -mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and laughed with his master at the -thought of the men of Barmouth sitting out there in their boats, like so -many cats waiting outside a mouse-hole. - -"Come out of it, Ben! Wake up!" - -Ben looked up with a start. Tom was laughing at him. "Where are you, -Benjie? A million miles away!" - -"No," answered Ben, "I was listening to Sir Peter talking to a man you -don't any of you know anything about." - -"Your precious mahogany man?" asked Tom. "Don't tell me you learned -something more about him while you were up at the house." - -"He means the man with the big feet," said David. "Did you find his -prints in the house?" - -"David," said Ben solemnly, "you're absolutely certain you saw those -footprints of a man on the bank of the creek, are you?" - -"Absolutely," David stated. "You don't think it was some animal wearing -a man's shoes, do you?" - -"No. I thought you saw them. But I looked this morning in the same -place, and there aren't any prints there now." - -There followed a moment's silence; then Tuckerman exploded a loud -"What?" - -"Vanished, vamoosed, flown away," Ben said with a nod. - -"My eye!" exclaimed David. "This is too horrible! Is the island -haunted?" - -"It is peculiar," said Tuckerman, frowning at the shore. - -"Look out!" sang out Tom. - -The _Argo_, her helmsman unheeding his business, was slowly coming -about, with a ledge of rock dead ahead. Tuckerman wheeled around, put -the tiller over--the dory righted again. - -"Ben," said Tom, "don't you spring anything like that on us again, with -the Professor sailing this boat. If you've got any other fairy tales, -you keep them till we're on shore." - -"My fault," said the skipper. "I'm learning. My first business is to -bring us safe up to the dock." - -"And my first business," added David, "is to get something to eat. -Mysteries may come and go, but three square meals a day are always -needful. How about that, Ben, my son? What did Sir Peter and this other -friend of yours live on?" - -"Rum," said the solemn Ben. - -"Rum! You're a rum one! Are you sure you didn't drink some of Sir -Peter's rum before you went to the creek and found that the footprints -were missing?" - -But Ben only smiled. He could afford to smile when he knew that he, and -he alone, had a copy of James Sampson's complete message tucked away in -his pocket. - - - - - VII--THE TIGERS PLAY CAMP AMOUSSOCK - - -Needless to say, Ben would have liked to start out immediately after -dinner to look for the pocket in the rocks that was marked with a cross, -provided he could have found a good excuse to get away from the others; -for he was still of a mind to keep his discovery a secret for the -present. But the larder was in need of fresh supplies, and as soon as -they had finished their cleaning up Tom announced that their immediate -business was to sail across to Farmer Hapgood's and buy some eggs and -milk. So the _Argo_ put out into the bay again, and soon the four -campers, the sailboat safely moored at the Hapgood landing, were -tramping up the road toward a gray-shingled cottage that had a couple of -beautiful, tall elms at either side of it. - -Mrs. Hapgood sold them eggs, milk, and butter, and some large loaves of -freshly-baked bread. These were packed in a basket the boys had brought. -When they came out from the house they stopped a few moments to chat -with Mrs. Hapgood, and while they were talking two large automobiles -swung in from a crossroad and raced past the farmhouse door. - -The two cars were filled with boys, boys on the seats and on the -running-boards. "They're from Camp Amoussock, down along the shore a -way," Mrs. Hapgood explained. "They're going to have a baseball game -with the boys around here. My Sandy's playing. He's getting into his -things upstairs now, but he'll be down in a minute." - -The cars disappeared in a cloud of dust, and almost immediately a -red-haired, freckle-faced young fellow, in a baseball suit, dashed out -from the front door. - -"Hello," he cried, nodding to the others. "That crowd made as much noise -with their horns as if they'd won the game already." - -"Pretty good team, are they?" asked David. - -"Yes, they're a good team," said Sandy; "but mighty stuck on themselves. -They come from a lot of different cities, and most of them play on their -school nines. They've beaten us the last two summers. Gee, but we'd like -to get back at 'em to-day!" - -"Who's on your team?" asked Tom. - -"Well, we call ourselves the Tidewater Tigers. Most of us live around -here. One, Billy Burns, comes from Barmouth. Native sons of New -Hampshire against the strangers--that's what my father says." - -"We know Billy Burns," said Ben. "He's a good batter." - -"Yes, he's good," agreed Sandy. "But they've got a pitcher who's a -corker. Lanky Larry they call him. He's the goods all right--lots of -speed and a curve. I'll say he is! Fanned me three times last year." -Sandy clutched his bat. "Gee, but I'd like to sting him!" - -"Let's feel it," said David. He took the bat and swung it several times. -"A little light, but not bad," he pronounced judicially. - -"Say, why don't you all come along? We'll show you some real excitement. -You can leave that basket here." - -The boys looked at each other, and suddenly Tuckerman burst out -laughing. "Lead us to it, Sandy. I can see these three have got their -tongues hanging out." - -"Well," said David slowly, "I do hate to pass a good thing by." - -"He wants a sight of this Lanky Larry," said Tom. "A good pitcher to -Dave is like a red rag to a bull." - -Mrs. Hapgood relieved Tom of the basket. "You boys are native sons," she -said with a smile. "Go along and root for the Tigers." - -Up the road they went until they came to an open field marked out with a -baseball diamond. The two automobiles were parked on one side, and on -the other was a crowd of boys and girls, interspersed with a few older -people. Already some of the Tigers and some of the Amoussocks were -knocking out flies to their fielders. - -"There's Lanky, warming up," said Sandy, pointing to a tall, -dark-skinned fellow who was throwing a ball to a catcher in front of the -automobiles. "They're a swell lot, aren't they? They've all got brand -new suits this summer, with red and white stockings, and a red A on -their chests." - -The Amoussocks did look very trim; more especially in contrast to the -native sons, who were dressed in all sorts of suits, the most of them -old and mud-stained. - -"Here's Billy Burns," said Sandy; and as Tuckerman and the three boys -went up to join the crowd, Sandy darted away to report himself to his -captain. - -Billy came up. "Hi, you fellows. What you doing here?" - -"Digging clams for bait," answered David. "Benjie wants to go fishing." - -"Come down to see us smear the strangers?" Billy continued, ignoring -David's joke. - -"I hear that Lanky Larry's a terror." This from Tom. - -"Terror's the word," Billy admitted. "Say, Dave, you think you're some -hitter in Barmouth. But you've never stacked up against his class." - -"Oh, I don't know," said David. "I've sent some good men to the discard. -Howsomever, it's not up to me this afternoon to tackle the strangers. -I'm neutral to-day." - -"Go to it, Billy!" said Ben. "We're going to root for you. Of course we -are. We're not pikers." - -It was clear that this was a big day in the eyes of the community. A -hay-wagon rattled up, loaded with empty boxes and a pile of boards. The -boxes were stood on end on the ground and the planks placed across them, -and the seats thus made were instantly filled by boys and girls. On the -opposite side waved a large banner, white with a gigantic red A in the -centre. There were shouts and cheers from both sides as the two teams -gathered round the umpire; then the Tigers ran out to take the field and -the first Amoussock batter stepped up to the plate. - -The campers from Cotterell's Island sat on the grass with the New -Hampshire boys. Half the fun of watching any contest is in rooting for -one side to win, and naturally the campers were backing the home nine. -The Amoussocks had a superior air, partly due perhaps to their snappy -suits and partly to the fact that they had beaten the Tigers each of the -two summers before. And they knew how to play baseball; there was a snap -and precision about their work that was the result of constant coaching -in teamwork. - -Against them the home team, mostly the sons of neighboring farmers, boys -who had to coach themselves and only played together on Saturdays, -showed at a decided disadvantage. They had plenty of fighting spirit and -kept right up on their toes, playing for all they were worth, taking big -chances in stealing bases and backing each other up on every throw. But -they couldn't hit Lanky Larry--not to any extent; and the Amoussocks -could, and did, hit Sam Noyes, the Tiger pitcher. - -David shook his head as the third inning ended. "That Lanky's got 'em -where he wants 'em," he said. "He eases up a bit, and lets us get a hit -or two; but watch him in the pinches. He can tighten up and shoot 'em -over. Yes, siree,--nothing he likes better than a couple of them on the -bases, and then putting over three strikes, simple as you please." - -Tom took a blade of grass from his mouth. "And he keeps grinning. -Nothing riles a batter worse than that sort of a pitcher. 'See how -simple it is,' he says with that smile. 'Like taking candy from a kid to -get a strike on you'--and he goes ahead and shoots one over while you're -planning how you'll wipe the grin from his face." - -Billy Burns dropped down beside them. "Two to nothing," he declared. -"Sam's doing mighty well, but Lanky's doing better. It's that in-shoot -of his. I know just where it's going, but hang it all! every blessed -time I reach right out for it." - -"He's got your goat," said David. "You're so all-fired mad that you -don't wait for the ball to get near you." - -"Huh, it's easy to talk! I suppose you could wait all day." - -"Well, I wouldn't get tied up tight, stiff as a stick. That's the -trouble with all our team. They're so keen to hit they can't wait. -Larry's got them going before they walk out there; and he knows it too, -believe me!" - -"I suppose you'd be as cool as a cucumber," Billy jeered. - -"As fat as a cucumber, you mean," suggested Ben. "When Dave leans -against the ball it's like a ton of bricks." - -"We're out again," announced Billy, picking up his fielder's glove. -"We're not so worse in the field; but golly, if we could only hit!" - -The Tigers couldn't hit, however. The crowd on the benches rooted as -hard as they could, but the native sons stayed behind. And the visitors -grew more dashing. They kept talking to each other on the bases, little -remarks filled with self-esteem; it was easy to see they were very well -pleased with themselves. - -David kept pulling blades of grass, chewing them, spitting them out. -Every time that a Tiger came to bat David felt as if it were he himself -who was facing that smiling pitcher. - -The fifth inning came and went; the score was still the same. Billy -Burns, in spite of what David had told him, had struck out again. - -Tom stood up and stretched. "No, boys, it isn't our day--unless -something different happens. I guess that old New Hampshire's got to -take the short end." - -Something did happen; but not what Tom expected. Billy Burns, in the -outfield, running after a deep fly to centre, made a dive for the ball -at full speed, stumbled, fell headlong, but held up the ball in his -hand. - -"Batter's out!" cried the umpire. - -The loyal rooters cheered. Billy, however, lay flat, and when, after a -moment, he tried to get up, he sat down quickly again. - -The other fielders ran over to him and stood him up between them. Billy -held up one foot, put it down, gave a groan. "Twisted my ankle, I -guess," he muttered. He tried to take a step forward. "No go," he added. -"Hang it all, just my luck!" - -Two fielders brought him in between them, Billy hopping on one foot. The -Tigers held a consultation, while the Amoussocks threw the ball around. -Then Sam Noyes, the Tiger captain, stepped over to David. "Billy's down -and out," he said. "He can't play any more. But he says you think you -can hit their pitcher; and you're from Barmouth, so that'd be all right. -Want to take Billy's place?" - -David glanced up. He knew by the look on Sam's face that the Tiger -captain didn't believe he could bat any better than the others. "All -right," he answered. "I didn't mean to boast, you know; but I'll do my -darndest." - -"No one can do more," murmured Tuckerman behind him. - -David peeled off his coat and put on Billy's glove. He lumbered out to -centrefield while Sam Noyes explained the substitution to the Amoussock -captain. - -In the last half of the sixth inning David came to bat. Lanky Larry -patted the ball caressingly, surveyed the new player from head to foot, -and then grinned as if he had suddenly remembered a tremendous joke. -David dug his feet into the earth of the batter's box, wishing he had on -the cleated shoes he wore when he played on his school team, swung his -bat--one he had carefully selected from the varied assortment offered by -the Tigers--and then grinned as if he also had thought of something very -funny. - -"I say, what's the joke, you two fellows?" sang out a man who was -standing back of the benches. - -That made everybody laugh, with the result that Lanky, when he pitched -the ball, threw it wide and missed the plate by a couple of inches. - -"Ball one!" proclaimed the umpire. - -"Make it be good!" yelled Ben. - -David hitched up his trousers and lifted his bat again. Lanky patted the -ball and smiled, but not so broadly. He shot the next one across the -plate with speed and precision, David letting it go by without swinging -at it. - -"Strike one!" sang the umpire. - -"You've got him, Lanky!" came a voice from the ranks of the Amoussocks. - -"Oh dear!" sighed a girl on the Tiger's bench, loud enough to be heard -across the diamond; "I thought this fellow looked like he could knock a -home run!" - -There was a titter, a ripple of laughter, and Larry, fondling the ball, -looked over in the direction of the girl and grinned from ear to ear. - -The ball shot from his hand. There was a crack--sharp and -stinging;--Larry reached out, missed the ball as it whizzed by--whizzed -on over the bag at second base, sizzled on into the outfield. -Centrefield couldn't touch it; that ball simply wouldn't stop, and -didn't until it struck a stone wall at the end of the field. - -By the time the ball got back David was standing on third base, and the -Tiger rooters were splitting the air with yells. - -"Dave leaned against it all right, didn't he?" said Ben to Tuckerman. -"He came around on it just as easy; but when he struck he made every -ounce tell." - -"He'd have had a home run if it hadn't been for that stone wall," said -Tuckerman. "The field's too short; it doesn't give our Dave a show." - -Lanky Larry looked less amused. He frowned and grew thoughtful; with the -result that the next Tiger up got a neat hit to right field, and David -came trotting home. - -But the inning ended on the next play, the Tiger being caught out at -second base. The score was two to one, in the Amoussock's favor. The -crowd felt somewhat better as the Tigers took the field again. The -Amoussocks, however, managed to get in another run at their turn at bat, -and had a good lead of two. - -The seventh and eighth innings repeated the same old story. Lanky was in -form again, and none of the batters could hit him. And with the score at -three to one the Amoussocks prepared to mow down their rivals in the -last half of the ninth. - -David was to be the third batter, and he swung two bats over his -shoulder as he waited for his turn. Lanky knew what he was doing, was in -fact watching him out of the corner of his eye, and looking forward to -his next chance at the cocky David. Thinking what he would do to David -he forgot the job in hand, and struck Sam Noyes on the arm. The umpire -sent Sam to first. Larry scowled and bit his lip. The next Tiger got a -hit, and Sam went to second. - -The crowd jumped to its feet, both sides were rooting madly. "If only -there was room for a home run!" sighed Ben. "Old Barmouth could do it! -Keep cool, Dave my lad!" - -David was perfectly cool, to all appearance at least, as he walked up to -the plate. He smiled and gave the least little nod at the tall, -dark-skinned pitcher. - -A duel between these two;--that was what the crowd felt in the air. The -fielders were hopping about, crouching, their hands on their knees; Sam -and the Tiger on first base were flapping their arms, all ready to dash -for the next base. But nobody looked at them; all eyes were on the two -who were regarding each other with pleasant smiles. - -"Strike one!" - -David stepped back, a bit surprised, while the crowd gave a groan. - -"Ball one!" There was a little ripple of satisfaction. - -"But he's got to hit it," Tom muttered in Tuckerman's ear. "A base on -balls won't do. The next fellow'd go out." - -And David knew he'd got to hit it, and kept telling himself not to -tighten up. "Easy does it, easy does it," kept singing over and over in -his mind. If he tried too hard Lanky would get him just as he had gotten -the others; and he knew perfectly well that was what Lanky intended that -he should do. - -"Strike two!" - -Larry had outguessed him that time, giving him a slow drop. David eased -his muscles, smiled his confident smile, settled evenly on his feet. -This next would be the in-shoot. Larry would save that for the last. -"Easy does it; take your time." David looked at the pitcher, not -angrily, not intently, just with a jovial dare. - -And the bat, with David's shoulders behind it, and his waist and his -legs as well, met that ball as it curved in toward him fair and square -on the nose. There was a mighty crack--the sort that sings in the ears -and makes the pulses tingle--and away and away went the ball. Over the -pitcher's head, over the heads of the fielders; far out in the field it -struck the ground at last and bounded over the stone wall. It brought up -against a cow, that was lying down in a meadow, and it gave her such a -bump that she rose in haste and went galloping away, not knowing what -had struck her. And by the time the first Amoussock outfielder touched -that ball Sam Noyes and the next Tiger and David had circled the bases -and the game was won. - -Billy Burns hopped over to David, forgetful of his sprained ankle. "Put -it there, old scout!" he cried, holding out his hand. "I never saw such -a hit! Gee whillikins! Dave, you're the stuff all right!" - -"Easy does it," said David, who couldn't think of anything else to say. - -"Easy!" exclaimed Billy. "You call that easy! I'd like to know what you -do to a ball when you hit it hard!" - - - - - VIII--THE CANOE - - -David would have liked to have taken to his heels and beaten it down the -road to the bay, but he was not allowed to do this. Not only the Tigers, -but all that section of New Hampshire appeared to think that he had -vindicated the honor of the country against the big cities, represented -in this case by the boys of Camp Amoussock. Horny-handed farmers -insisted on coming up and shaking his hand, slapping him on the back, -inviting him to supper. And what tickled Ben more than anything else was -to see the girl who had exclaimed, "I thought this fellow looked like he -could knock a home run!" push her way through the crowd and thrust out -her hand at David. - -Ben nudged Tom. "Look at our brave boy now." - -The girl was saying, "I knew you looked like a winner. I've got a kid -brother at home; he's got a sore foot and couldn't get over here; but -I'm going to tell him how you soaked that ball and hit the old cow, and -maybe he won't be excited! What's your name? He'll want to know." - -No beet was ever redder than David's face as he gave a sheepish grin. -"David Norton," he said. And as the girl insisted on shaking hands he -touched her fingers gingerly. "Much obliged," he stammered. "Hope the -kid's foot gets well again. Funny about that cow;--hope it didn't hurt -her." - -"I wouldn't care," said the girl, "if it broke one of her ribs. But -don't you worry, Mr. Norton. I'm right glad to have met you." And she -pushed her way out of the throng again, delighted to be able to tell her -kid brother that she had shaken hands with the hero of the day. - -"You may be a mighty batter," said Ben, when David was able at last to -rejoin his friends, "but when it comes to the girls you're a beautiful -imitation of a wooden Indian. You shake hands like a pump." - -"Oh, cut it out," growled David, who always stood more or less in fear -of girls, and hated to be teased about them. "I suppose you'd have made -her some kind of a pretty speech; asked her to dance, perhaps." - -"I'd have looked as if I liked being told how fine I was. Oh, what a -shame it is that nobody ever says such things to me," sighed Ben, "when -I'm the one that could really appreciate them!" - -Sandy Hapgood now came up, and David, eager to be rid of any more talk -about the game, hurried his friends away. "Looks like a thunderstorm," -he said, squinting at the sky, where dark clouds were rapidly rising. - -They passed the meadow, where the cow was now peacefully chewing her cud -again. She cast a reproachful eye at the boy in the baseball suit. -"That's the longest hit that was ever made on our field," remarked -Sandy. "And against Lanky Larry, too! Oh boy! Did you see Lanky after -the game? He looked--well, he didn't look so all-fired stuck on -himself." - -"He's a fine pitcher," said David; "a mighty good one." - -They quickened their steps, for big drops of rain were beginning to -fall. They turned in at the Hapgood farmhouse and stopped long enough -for a word with Sandy's mother. Tom swung the basket of provisions on -his arm. - -"Don't you think you'd better wait a short spell," said Mrs. Hapgood. -"Looks to me as if we were in for a right smart shower." - -They looked at the sky--pierced now with frequent sharp jabs of -lightning. - -"It's not raining hard yet," said Tuckerman. "How about it, boys?" - -"Let's beat it," said Tom. - -Out in the road again they jogged down to the water, where the _Argo_ -was fastened. Casting her adrift, Tom took the tiller. - -It was a real summer thunderstorm that had come up quickly--spurts of -rain and banks of black clouds--at the end of the warm day. - -But the boys were used to a wetting, and Tom had often sailed through a -heavier downpour than this. David stretched himself out on a seat in -luxurious comfort. "A shower-bath feels good," he murmured. "All I want -now is a good swim." - -The wind, however, wouldn't stay in any one quarter; it kept jumping -about as if it were trying to box the compass and succeeding pretty -well. Tom had to keep changing course. The _Argo_ zigzagged about like a -darning-needle flying over a pond. And the thunder kept crashing louder, -and the lightning opening bigger and bigger cracks in the violet-black -of the sky. - -"Hello, there's a canoe!" sang out Ben suddenly. - -Ahead of them, an eighth of a mile from shore, a cockleshell craft was -dancing over the waves. There were two people in it, one at either end, -and each was paddling fast. - -"Ticklish business," said Tuckerman. "There's white water off that -point. See how it jerks about. I say, Tom, couldn't we get up near -them?" - -"Righto," answered the skipper. "Confound those blooming gusts!" - -If the _Argo_ was having her hands full in standing up to the constant -squalls that kept chasing over the water, the canoe was finding the -struggle an even more difficult task. She careened, righted, almost -disappeared in a wave. The _Argo's_ crew were now all at the rail, -except the skipper, watching the little craft battle her way along. - -Then Ben sang out: "Why, it's Lanky Larry and the Amoussock captain! -Gee, but that water's rough!" - -A lightning flash so vivid that it seemed to daze the crews of both the -boats, was followed by a roll of thunder that shook the sea and the sky. -Next instant the waves leaped up as if in a frenzy of fright. A great -roller caught the canoe and twisted her nose about; another slapped her -amidships; a third--All that the crew of the _Argo_ saw was a swirl of -wild waters where the little craft had been. - -Tuckerman muttered something. Tom, with a shout of warning, brought the -_Argo_ about. Now there were to be seen in the water two heads, two -tossing paddles, and the upturned bottom of the canoe. - -The point of land was not far distant, and for some reason the boys in -the water were striking out in that direction, possibly because they -thought the sailboat, in such a squall, could not keep her course. - -While Tom manoeuvred the _Argo_, the other three watched the swimmers. -Both were making fair headway, the Amoussock captain somewhat in the -lead. Then suddenly Larry threw up his hands and disappeared. - -Tom swung the sailboat around, and almost instantly Ben and David, coats -and shoes stripped off, dove into the water. For the moment the sea was -calmer, and the two made the most of their chance. Hand over hand, in -great spurts, they drew closer and closer to the place where Larry had -vanished. - -Tom said things to the sail, which would not fill as he wanted. -Tuckerman clutched the rail, his eyes never leaving the swimmers. And at -last--an eternity, it seemed to the watcher--the two boys reached the -spot. A moment later, and in some way they had managed to draw Larry up -between them. - -By now the Amoussock captain had turned and was swimming back; and by -now Tom had contrived to make the _Argo_ behave. With a rush she arrived -where the boys were struggling in the waves. Ben clutched at the side; -with his other hand he helped David lift Larry up into Tuckerman's arms. - -Larry was hauled aboard. David and Ben climbed in. The other boy was -pulled up from the water. - -The _Argo_, restive, cavorting, commenced to dance again. "Can't stop to -pick up the canoe," muttered Tom. "Thank Heaven, Lanky's all right!" - -Larry, very white and shivering, was rubbing the muscles of his legs. -"It was a cramp," he explained. "Doubled me up in a minute." - -Tuckerman put his coat around Larry's shoulders. "Never mind, never -mind," he kept murmuring. "We'll have you up at my house in a couple of -jiffies." - -And, the wind blowing great guns, but keeping in a fairly steady -direction, the _Argo_ soon reached the island. By that time Larry, -assisted by Tuckerman, had managed to rub the kinks out of his leg -muscles, and was able to hobble ashore. - -Cold, and drenched, and all of them shivering more or less, the party -went up to the house. "The kitchen's the place," said Tuckerman. -"There's plenty of firewood there." - -Shortly the logs were blazing on the wide kitchen hearth, and Tuckerman, -finding a tin of coffee in a cupboard, was making a steaming drink. Tom -in the meantime had brought an armful of Christopher Cotterell's clothes -from a room abovestairs, and the boys who had been in the water put on -dry things. - -"Well," said Larry, when he was warm and dry, and had swallowed -half-a-cupful of Tuckerman's steaming hot coffee, "I knew this David -fellow was a good sport when I tried to strike him out this afternoon; -though I tell you it made me mad when he stung that ball for a homer." - -"Don't mention it," said David. "A fellow's got to do his duty." - -"You do yours, all right," nodded Larry. "I guess we'll have to forgive -him now, won't we, Bill?" - -Bill Crawford, the Amoussock captain, gave his knee a great slap. "We'll -have to elect him to the club of good scouts, Lanky. And the rest of -this bunch, too." - -"Pass the coffee pot," said David. - -Stretched at his ease in a cane-bottomed kitchen chair, Larry's eyes -roved around the room. "I thought there wasn't anybody on this island -this summer," he said. "That's the story they tell at the camp." - -"Oh yes, it's deserted," said Ben, "except for Professor Tuckerman and -his three able assistants." - -"What is the Professor doing here?" asked Bill Crawford. - -There was a momentary silence, broken by Ben's solemn voice. "He's busy -polishing up the knocker of the big front door. I don't know whether you -noticed it when you came in, but there is a beautiful knocker, made of -pure brass. He shines it every day." - -An amused snicker from Bill was followed by Larry's asking another -question. - -"This is the Cotterell house, isn't it? There's some old yarn about it, -seems to me I've heard." - -"Did you ever hear of an old house that didn't have some yarn attached -to it?" demanded Tuckerman. - -"Change the subject, Lanky," sang out Bill. "'Tisn't fair to pry into -the family's secrets." - -"Right you are." Larry stretched his arms. "Well, the question before us -is how are we going to get back to camp before they find that canoe, and -us missing?" - -Tom went to the kitchen door and looked out. "The storm isn't over yet," -he announced. "Couldn't you lads stay to supper? If you will, I'll sail -you back afterwards. Likely as not the water'll be smooth as a mill-pond -in an hour or so." - -"They won't be looking for you at your camp yet," said Tuckerman. -"They'll think you landed somewhere, and are waiting for the squall to -blow over." - -"We'll stay to supper," said Bill. "It would be a shame to have you -fellows get wet again on account of us." - -David jumped up. "We've got provisions stowed away right here in the -kitchen." Rolling up his sleeves, he gave directions to his assistant -cooks. - -The kitchen of Cotterell Hall had never seen as much activity as it did -in the next half hour, with the result that a sumptuous feast was soon -set out on the table. - -They ate as if they hadn't tasted food for a week, cleaned up, and -trooped out to the front door. The squall was over, a light wind was -blowing--not enough to ruffle the water--and stars were beginning to -shine in a cloudless sky. - -The _Argo's_ sail was raised, and the skipper sent her across the bay to -the place where the canoe had upset. Search soon found the canoe rocking -in the surf on a sandy beach of the mainland. She was righted and her -painter fastened to a cleat at the stern of the sailboat, and the _Argo_ -took a course alongshore. Presently, rounding a point, the crew saw a -bonfire at Camp Amoussock lighting a stretch of woods. - -They all went ashore, and found the Camp just about to start out on a -search for the missing boys. The visitors had to stay a while and be -entertained by their hosts, and it was not until the moon was high in -the sky that the _Argo_ again pushed her nose across the water, a -southernly breeze filling her sail. - -As they came abreast of the western end of their island another -sailboat, looking like a great white moth in the moonlight, went -scudding away over the silver sea. - -"Hello," said Ben, "what is she doing here? Poaching on our preserves, -it seems to me." - -"The harbor's free to everyone," said David. "I don't suppose even -Crusty Christopher objected to people sailing boats on the water, if -they didn't try to land on his shore." - -"Lanky knew there was some old yarn about the Cotterell house," Ben -continued, paying no attention to David's remark. "And if he knew, why -shouldn't others?" - -"Well," said Tom, "what's the answer?" - -"The answer is that we're likely to have callers. Not the kind that -leave their visiting-cards, but the sort that snoop around when nobody's -home." - -"Thieves?" questioned David. - -"No," said Ben, "I didn't mean thieves exactly. Detectives come nearer -to what I meant." - -Tuckerman chuckled. "Benjamin, you're a wonder! You never let go of an -idea once you get your teeth in it, do you? I'd forgotten all about the -treasure. I was studying the stars, and Dave was thinking about -baseball, and Tom about the course he's steering; but you--why, you were -puzzling your wits about Sir Peter and the mahogany man, and goodness -knows what else. Keep it up, Ben my boy. That's the road to success." - -And Ben, thinking of what he had found that morning, grinned but said -nothing. If he could only work out the scheme he had in his mind, he -felt that he would be prouder than if he knocked home runs against the -very best baseball pitchers in the major leagues. - - - - - IX--THE CHEST IN THE ROCKS - - -John Tuckerman was leaning on his arm and looking out at the sparkling, -gleaming blue-green water when Ben Sully woke next day. Ben kept still -and watched him, as he had watched him on several other mornings. -Tuckerman looked so absorbed, so intent. He seemed to be sniffing the -air. And Ben, to whom a summer morning on the New England coast -presented no novelty, appreciated that to this man everything about him -seemed like a part of wonderland. - -The only sounds were the lapping of waves and the calling of birds in -the woods back of the camp. A great gray-white gull was soaring far out -over the water, slanting first this way, then that, as though he were -trying his wings before he made a real flight. Nearer shore two white -terns circled round and round, and then dropped straight in the bay, -their sharp beaks darting at fish. The shore of the mainland rose in a -green swell, on which pearl-colored fleecy clouds seemed to be floating, -and the shore of the island itself, above the beach, was a tangle of bay -and juniper and wild roses, all shades of greens and pinks in the early -sun. - -Ben saw this through Tuckerman's eyes, and felt the spell of -enchantment. Then David rolled over, stretched his arms, grunted; and -the spell was broken. A pine-cone, tossed by Ben, landed on David's -nose. "Hi there, you mosquito!" exclaimed the nose's owner. He threw the -pine-cone at Tom. "Time to be up, lazybones. Breakfast in half-an-hour, -and those who aren't down when the bell rings won't get any!" - -"The tub's mine first!" shouted John Tuckerman, and pulling off his -pajamas he took a few leaps across the grass and raced over the sand to -the water, where he ducked under a wave and bobbed up again, splashing -and yelling. - -Ben, then David, then Tom, followed, making more noise between them than -all the wildfowl on the island put together. The water was cold, but -fine for a morning swim, and when, after fifteen minutes, the four came -out on the beach again, they seized the Turkish towels that hung -conveniently on a juniper, and rubbed themselves to a brilliant -lobster-like glow. - -"That particular swimming-pool," said John Tuckerman,--"I refer to the -one commonly called the damp spot, or the ocean,--beats all the -porcelain-lined tubs it has ever been my privilege to bathe in. It's -true there's only cold water; but come out into this sun for a few -minutes and you'll be hot enough. Now it seems to me"--but at that -particular moment he began to pull his flannel shirt over his head, and -when his words again became audible he was saying "shake well, and take -a teaspoonful in a glass of water every morning before breakfast." - -Breakfast! Magic word after a swim in the ocean! The boys jumped into -their clothes and set to work. For the next half-hour the thoughts of -all the campers were centred on food. - -But as soon as his plate was cleared Ben began to consider another -matter. He quoted lines to himself, "I took the box to the north -cliff.... I hid it in the pocket in the rocks. There are two veins that -make a mark like a cross." Very good; that was plain. And as soon as the -after-breakfast chores were done he said, rather self-consciously, "I -know where there's a pool full of cunners," and picking up his -fishing-rod and tackle, he hurried into the woods. - -He looked back over his shoulder once or twice, but no one was following -him. Through the thickets, dappled with sunshine, he went at a brisk -trot. This brought him out on the north shore, where the high rocks -towered above the beach like a line of battlements. He swung himself -over a cliff and dropped lightly on to the sand. Leaving his fishing-rod -in a convenient place where he could pick it up quickly if anyone came -by, he began his search. - -There were crevices in the rocks, and each of these had to be explored. -Bushes and trailing vines, growing from little footholds, covered the -seaward surface of many of the cliffs. But Ben, thrilled with the sense -of exploration, and persevering by nature, stuck to his task, and was -rewarded at last by finding what he sought, two veins of a light yellow -color that made the distinct mark of a cross. - -"That's it!" he muttered, excited. "And, by Jove, there's the pocket!" - -Down on his knees he went, and thrust his head into an opening. He -pushed himself forward by digging his toes in the sand. And soon his -outstretched hand touched a large chest, he felt metal bands about it, -he pushed it, but it was wedged in tight. - -Presently he pulled himself out, stood up, and considered the situation. -He had found the box that James Sampson had hid in the rocks. His first -thought was what a tremendously strong man Sampson must have been to -carry such a chest all the way from Cotterell Hall to this north shore. -However, Sampson might not have carried it; he might have brought it in -a cart or by some other means. And his next thought was, how could -Benjamin Sully get that chest out of the pocket. - -That took a good deal of thinking, and he sat down and considered it -from various angles. - -Into his brown study two voices from somewhere back of him made -interruption abruptly. - -"He's fishing for cunners on the dry sand! First time I ever saw that -done. He just coaxes 'em out of the water." - -"Keep quiet! He's counting the grains of sand. He's got up into the -millions." - -"He's thinking up a way to hypnotize the fish. Stare at them hard -enough, and they'll swim right up on the beach." - -"He's copying King Canute. Telling the waves to go back." - -"He's working out a time-table for the tides." - -Ben turned his head. "As a matter of fact, the thing I'm thinking about -is a thousand times more interesting than anything you've guessed." - -The two voices were those of David and Tom. - -"I've always said," observed David, "that you can't catch our Benjie -napping. He seems to be sitting there like a bump on a log, but he's -really thinking of the most remarkable things." - -"I shouldn't wonder," nodded Tom, "if it was something utterly -prodigious--like why the water's wet or fish have scales." - -"No," said Ben pleasantly, "I was wondering how I could get Peter -Cotterell's treasure chest out of the place where his servant James -Sampson hid it. It's rather too heavy for me to handle by myself." - -The other two stared. "Benjie oughtn't to have come out here without a -cork helmet," said David. "I suppose he's got a sunstroke." - -[Illustration: "Sampson put the chest there," he concluded.] - -"What are you driving at?" asked Tom. "Have you really found the -treasure, Ben?" - -Ben pointed negligently toward the cleft in the rock. "There," he -answered. "See that yellow cross? That marks where he hid the chest." - -"You're dreaming!" David snorted. - -"How do you know?" questioned Tom. - -Ben took from his pocket the piece of paper that bore James Sampson's -message. He read it aloud, slowly, giving each word full weight. -"Sampson put the chest there," he concluded. "And there it is now. I -crawled in and found it." - -Even David was impressed by that. He got down on his knees and poked -into the cavern, and when he stood up he nodded solemnly. - -"There is something in there," he said. "I shouldn't wonder if Ben might -be right." - -"Well," said Tom, "there's a rope in the sailboat. We left her around -the point." He hurried away. - -In a few minutes he was back, with a coil of good-sized rope. - -Taking an end of this, Ben again crawled into the opening and made the -rope tight about the chest. Then the three boys took hold of the other -end of the rope and began to pull. The sand was not very secure footing -and the chest was heavy, but gradually they pulled it out. They -discovered it was a box made of hard wood, with iron fastenings. - -"Well," declared Tom, "if James Sampson carried that all the way here by -himself, all I've got to say is that he deserves his name." - -"These mahogany men," added David, "supposing that the fellow who -carried this chest was a mahogany man--must belong to a race of giants. -I wonder if it was a mahogany man who made those footprints on the edge -of the creek?" - -Ben had picked up a flat stone, shaped something like a large Indian -arrowhead, and another round stone; and inserting the first stone under -the lid of the chest, he struck it several blows with the other. - -Tom watched him a moment. "You can't pry it open that way," he asserted. -Looking along the beach, he selected a big, egg-shaped stone and brought -it back to the chest. Lifting it in both hands, he dropped it on the -iron band just above the lock. The iron snapped apart. The stone bounced -off on the sand. - -David and Ben seized the lid. With a creaking of hinges it was lifted. -There before them was a light blue coat, gold-braided, a three-cornered -hat of felt, a sword in a tarnished scabbard. - -"My eye!" exclaimed Tom. "Just clothes! Why in the world did he want to -hide such things?" - -Ben was flinging them aside. Underneath were other garments, several -suits of the style worn by gentlemen in Revolutionary days, and then the -oddest collection of bric-a-brac, candlesticks, pewter pitchers, a -silver snuff-box, a couple of lacquered platters, and even some china -plates. - -David started to laugh. "Well, if that's the Cotterell treasure, I can't -give it much! I don't see why the Barmouth people wanted to lay hands on -it, or why Sir Peter and his precious James Sampson were so eager to get -away with it. Why, it's regular junk-shop stuff. I don't suppose the -whole collection, if they'd sold it at auction, would have fetched -enough to feed a soldier a week." - -Ben looked very much crestfallen. He fingered the suits, the snuff-box, -the platters. "No," he said, "it does seem mighty queer. And to think -that Sampson brought these things over here, intending to take them away -in a boat! I don't understand it at all." - -"Never mind, Benjie." Tom slapped his friend on the shoulder. "You found -the chest anyway." - -"That's right. You did," said David. "You worked out the puzzle. It -isn't your fault if the treasure was just old junk." - -Ben was scratching his head. "But surely Sir Peter did have some -valuable plate," he argued. "The people of Barmouth knew that. Then what -did he do with it?" - -"Maybe he melted it down himself," said David. "Anyhow it isn't in that -chest." - -"That's so." Ben picked up the snuff-box and stuck it in his pocket. -"Where's the Professor?" - -"He went up to the house. Said he was going to write a letter," Tom -answered. "I'll tell you what we'll do, old sport. I'll take you out in -the _Argo_ and let you have some fishing." - -The chest was shut again and pushed back into the pocket. Ben regained -his fishing-rod and tackle, and the three embarked in the sailboat. And -presently the satisfaction of pulling flounders on board made Ben forget -everything else. - -When they returned to camp, with a fine catch of fish, they found John -Tuckerman busy preparing dinner. Ben told his story, while Tuckerman -listened with the greatest interest. "It does seem odd," he said, when -Ben had finished. "Most peculiar, in fact." He mused a moment, his eyes -regarding the water. "But then my good old ancestor Sir Peter was an odd -kind of fish. I wonder now--do you suppose he could possibly have been -planning to have a joke at the expense of his Barmouth neighbors?" - -"You mean," said Tom, "that he might have hid those things expecting the -neighbors to find them?" - -Tuckerman nodded. "It might have been so. Perhaps he, or James Sampson, -even expected the men in the boat that was waiting off shore to find -where Sampson hid the chest." - -"But why all this puzzle then about the pieces of parchment Ben found in -the house?" asked David. - -"Well, I'll admit," said Tuckerman with a smile, "that it's not as clear -as a pikestaff. Only Sir Peter does seem to have liked his joke. -However, the bacon's sizzling." Brandishing a fork in his hand, he bent -over the frying pan. - -That afternoon Tuckerman said that he had an important letter to mail, -and the campers sailed to Barmouth. Tuckerman went to the post-office, -and each of the boys dropped in on his family. Ben had a chat with his -mother, then told her he must do an errand. This took him into a side -street, where there were a number of small, unpretentious shops. - -He stopped before a window that was filled with old furniture, andirons, -odds and ends of china. He opened the door, and a little bell tinkled -somewhere back in the house, and after a moment a small, wizened-faced -man, wearing a big blue checked apron, came into the room. - -"Afternoon, Mr. Haskins," said Ben. - -"It's Ben Sully, ain't it?" said the proprietor. "Well, are you goin' to -get married, an' want a nice set of furniture to go to housekeepin' -with?" - -"Not to-day, Mr. Haskins." Ben acknowledged the joke with a grin. "No, -sir, I'm more interested just as present in what you call antiques." - -"Antiques, eh? Well, what was you thinkin' of wantin'? I've some nice -three-legged kettles, a soup tureen that came over in the _Mayflower_, -an ivory back-scratcher that hails from India. Just look about, an' tell -me what you want." - -"I want you to tell me something about this." Ben put his hand in his -pocket and drew out the snuffbox he had taken from the Cotterell chest. - -"This?" Mr. Haskins took the snuff-box, pulled his spectacles down from -his forehead on to his nose, walked nearer the window, and peered at the -small silver box. - -"What do you want me to tell you?" he asked after a moment. - -"Is it a real old one?" - -"Certainly it is. See that monogram? That's the finest embossed work." -Mr. Haskins gave a chuckle. "I ought to know about that box, I ought." - -"Why ought you?" asked Ben. - -"Well, you see, this here particular snuff-box has been in my shop some -time. I sold it to a customer just about a week ago." - -"I thought perhaps you had," said Ben, trying hard not to show his -excitement. - - - - - X--LIGHTS ON THE ISLAND - - -The information that Ben obtained that afternoon from Mr. Haskins -concerning his sale of the snuff-box gave a new direction to his -thoughts. He could not follow up this new clue just yet, however, -without telling the others, and this he didn't want to do. They would be -waiting for him aboard the _Argo_, and so, after a fifteen-minute talk -with the shopkeeper, he hurried away to join them at the wharf. - -One other thing he did, however, before the sailboat left Barmouth, and -that was to get a canoe he owned out from a shed on the waterfront and -fasten it behind the _Argo_. If he had the _Red Rover_ with him--he had -laboriously painted that name in orange letters on a scarlet background -on the canoe--he would be able to come and go about the harbor as he -wished and to leave the island without explaining his plans, as he would -have to do if he wanted to take the sailboat. - -"What's the idea?" asked David, who never overlooked a chance to ask a -question. "Are you going to teach the Professor how to paddle a canoe?" - -Ben nodded. "I thought that ought to be part of his education. The _Red -Rover's_ steady enough for any beginner to paddle." - -Tuckerman looked askance at the little craft bobbing up and down in the -wake of the _Argo_. "Any canoe's unsteady enough for me to upset in, I -guess. However, I like Ben's idea. It was thoughtful of you, my lad." - -At that they all laughed, for whatever Ben's reason had been for wanting -the canoe at the island it was fairly obvious that he was not taking it -there to further John Tuckerman's seafaring education. - -That evening, however, Tuckerman reminded Ben of his suggestion. The -water was calm, the breeze was light. "How about a paddle?" he asked. -"Just along the shore? I promise not to rock the boat." - -"Righto," said Ben. "Come on." - -They went to the landing-stage at the pier and put the canoe in the -water. Ben got in at the stern and balanced the boat while Tuckerman -gingerly stepped in and squatted down at the bow. - -"Not much room for long legs," said Tuckerman. "I'll have to tie mine up -in a bow." - -"You'll get used to it soon," encouraged Ben. "I'll do the steering. All -you have to do is to put your paddle in, give a long, slow push, and -take it out again." - -"Sounds easy enough." Tuckerman tried to shift the position of his -knees, with the result that the canoe rolled over almost far enough to -ship a gallon of water. He threw his weight the other way, and the canoe -nearly capsized. - -"Plague take it!" he muttered. "It's worse than walking a tight-rope!" - -"Easy there, easy," laughed Ben. "First rule in a canoe is never to move -quickly. When you shift your weight, do it slowly. Pretty soon it'll -come as natural as riding a bicycle." - -"Riding a balky horse, you mean," said Tuckerman. "All right; I'll -remember." He dipped the tip of his paddle into the water and gave a -tiny shove. - -Ben gave a long sweep with his paddle, a dexterous twist at the end of -the stroke, and the _Red Rover_ floated smoothly away from the -landing-stage. - -With Ben's coaching, Tuckerman soon was able to paddle fairly well. He -found it somewhat difficult to keep the bow evenly balanced, but as Ben -anticipated his movements and shifted automatically from side to side, -Tuckerman gained confidence and soon was sitting steady. - -They paddled along shore, past the camp and on to the upper end of the -island. Tuckerman, feeling more and more at ease, was delighted with the -motion, with the gentle swish of the water, with the still, starlit -night, with the panorama of beach and cliffs and woods as they floated -by. - -"Let's go on around the island," he suggested. "This isn't real work at -all." - -Ben smiled to himself. He knew that Tuckerman would discover next -morning several muscles in his back and shoulders that he wasn't -accustomed to feeling. But the night was perfect for a paddle. "All -right," he agreed. "No, don't you try to do any steering. The man in the -stern does that." With a couple of twists he turned the bow to the -north. "There," he said, "there's the cliff where Sampson hid the chest -in the pocket." - -Tuckerman turned to look. The _Red Rover_ wobbled, slanted. - -Ben shifted and righted her quickly. "Hi there!" he warned. - -"My mistake," said the penitent Tuckerman. "I see that it won't do for -me to think of two things at once when I'm out on this lily-pad." - -"Paddle--quickly now," Ben ordered. "But not too quickly. There's a rip -off that ledge." - -They passed the rip and came into smoother water. Presently they were on -the ocean side of the island. "There's the creek where we saw the -footprints," said Ben. - -"Don't point out anything else to me," said Tuckerman. "If I move my -left leg I can't get it back in place." - -By the time they reached the southern end of the island the bow-paddler -felt as if the muscles of his knees were tied in hard knots. "Do you -mind," he said in a tone of apology, "if I stop paddling for a couple of -minutes and unwind myself? I'll move very slowly." - -"Go ahead," said Ben. "I'll balance the canoe." - -Tuckerman pushed himself back, then very carefully unwound his long -legs, stretched them out with an exclamation of relief, rubbed the -muscles, and then readjusted himself in a new and more comfortable -position. "I suppose to be a really proficient canoeist," he observed, -"one ought to be made of rubber. There--how's that? Didn't I do it -cleverly?" - -"Wonderful!" said Ben. - -Tuckerman picked up his paddle again, and, proud of his ability to move -without rocking the boat, stuck the paddle in the water and gave a -mighty sweep. The bow swung around, rocked, tilted; Tuckerman pressed -his arm hard on the left-hand gunwale. - -"Hold on, Professor!" cried Ben. "We don't want to head out into the -ocean. Keep your paddle out of the water. Steady there!" With alternate -strokes to right and left Ben soon had the canoe back on its course -parallel to the shore. - -"I _am_ a duffer," muttered Tuckerman contritely. - -"Oh no, you're not," said Ben. "You're doing very well. Only you must -remember to let the stern man do the steering. A little more practice -and you'll find the _Red Rover_ as easy to manage as falling off a log." - -"Falling off a log is good," was Tuckerman's comment. "Falling into the -water would be more like it." - -They rounded the lower end of the island and came back on the bay side. -They had almost reached the landing-stage when Ben said, "See, there's a -light at Cotterell Hall. It's in the front door. It looks like a pocket -flashlight. I suppose Tom and David went up there to get something." - -Cautiously Tuckerman looked in the direction of the house. There was a -small circle of light. It moved away from the door; after a minute it -shone through a window. - -"I thought I locked the doors," he said. "However, they may have climbed -in through a window." - -The light disappeared. The canoe floated smoothly up to the stage, and -Ben held it level while Tuckerman climbed out. Ben jumped up lightly. -Then they both pulled the _Red Rover_ out and turned it bottom side up. - -They went up the walk to the house. The front door was shut, and when -Tuckerman turned the knob he found that the door was locked. He opened -it with his own key, and the two went in. The hall and the rooms were -dark, there was no sound of voices or footsteps anywhere. - -"That's funny," said Tuckerman. "We didn't see Tom and David come down -the path. Maybe they went out the back way." - -But the kitchen door was locked, and when the two opened it and looked -out there was no sign of the others leaving in that direction. - -"I wonder what they've been up to?" said Ben. "Playing some joke -perhaps." - -They returned to the camp, and there were Tom and David, toasting -marshmallows on long sticks over a bed of hot coals. - -"We were betting ten to one," said David, "that you'd come back nice and -wet. Want to dry your clothes at the fire?" - -"No, thanks," answered Tuckerman. "We've been all round the island, and -we didn't ship a thimbleful of water." - -Tom glanced at Ben. "The Professor hasn't been fooling us, has he? He -didn't know all about handling a canoe, did he?" - -"No," said Ben with a smile. "He didn't know all about handling a canoe -when we started. But he knows almost everything about it now." Then, as -he sat down cross-legged on the grass, Ben said carelessly, "We saw your -light in the house. I suppose you climbed in through a window." - -"Saw our light in the house?" Tom echoed. "What are you giving us?" - -His tone was perfectly sincere. Ben saw that he wasn't joking. - -"Well, we certainly saw some light," Tuckerman stated. "It looked like a -pocket flashlight, at the front door and at one of the windows." - -"Not guilty," said David. "Are you sure it wasn't a firefly?" - -"You two have been right here ever since we left?" asked Ben. - -"Yes," answered the two in chorus. - -"And you haven't seen anyone land, or heard anyone?" Ben continued. - -"No," came the chorus. - -Ben looked at Tuckerman. "Well, someone was in the house. How about -that, Professor?" - -"Somebody was. But I can't imagine what they could have been doing. I -don't suppose they were thieves." - -"It's my opinion," said David sagely, "that they were hunting for the -famous Cotterell treasure. And now that you've found it, Benjie, I'd -suggest that you put up a big placard, stating 'The treasure has been -found. No seekers need apply.'" - -"Very good," said Ben. "Only the real treasure hasn't been found, you -see." - -"What!" exclaimed David. - -"No," said Ben, "that's my humble opinion." And then, as if he wanted to -change the subject, he added, "I'm going to toast one large, juicy -marshmallow, and then I'm going to turn in." - -Half-an-hour later the moon, riding up in the sky, looked down through -the branches and saw that the four campers were sound asleep. There was -the lap-lap of waves, the gentle purring noise as the water washed over -pebbles, and in the tops of the pines a soft lullaby of the breeze. - -Tom stirred, turned, opened his eyes. It seemed to him that something -had waked him. He looked about; there was only the familiar scene. He -gave a satisfied grunt and curled his head in the hollow of his arm. -Then he looked around again to make sure that they had put out all the -embers of the fire. And at some distance through the woods, in the -direction of the pier, he saw a light that moved. - -Immediately he remembered what Ben and Tuckerman had said about seeing a -light in the house. Noiselessly he got up, pulled on his shoes and stuck -his arms in his jacket. Through the woods he stole, stealthy as an -Indian. The light had disappeared, but he thought he heard the sound of -feet on the planks of the pier. - -He came to the trees nearest to the clearing about Cotterell Hall. The -house was dark; there was no sound or light in the neighborhood. But he -was convinced that there had been someone there, and presently he darted -forward and crossed the open space to the shelter of the porch. - -After a few minutes he stole to the corner of the house, and now his -search was rewarded. Someone was leaving by the kitchen door. In the -moonlight he counted three figures. They were heading away from the -shore, toward the grove at the back; he guessed that they intended to -take the path that led down to the creek. - -Tom followed them at a distance. They went through the woods, and now he -saw the moonlight on the water. They had reached the head of the creek, -but they didn't stop there. They went on along the bank to the higher -shore where the creek flowed into the ocean. Then for the first time Tom -noticed the silver tip of a sail. Lying flat behind a bush, he watched -the three men go to the rim of the shore, and, one after another, slide -over the edge where the boat waited. - -He wanted to see that boat, to get a closer view of the men; but there -were no bushes between him and the shore. Now the tip of the sail was -bobbing, now it was filling out; presently it was moving to the -southward, a white wing, still as a floating gull. - -He crept forward and watched. The boat was stealing away, soon she was -only a dancing speck of white in the glittering moonpath. He had no way -of identifying her or of making out her crew. He noted that she did not -turn or tack when she came to the lower end of the island, but held on -to a course that would bring her south along the main shore. - -Tom stood up and eased his feelings by a long whistle. "What were they -doing here? It must be something mighty important," he said aloud. - -No answer occurred to him, and after watching the sail until it -disappeared in the distance he turned and walked back to the house. - -He tried both the doors; they were locked. He looked at the lower -windows; they were all closed. He went down to the pier; the _Argo_ was -there and the _Red Rover_; there was nothing to tell him what these -night-time prowlers had been doing. - -He went back by the beach to the camp. As he stepped up on to the bank -Ben opened his eyes and sat up. "Hello," he said sleepily. "Why, Tom, -what are you doing?" - -"Sh-ssh," murmured Tom. - -Ben rubbed his eyes, crawled out of his bed, caught Tom's arm, and -pulled him down to the beach. "What were you doing?" he demanded in an -insistent whisper. - -"Well, I saw a light, and I went to find out what it was." - -"Yes? And you saw them, did you?" - -"Saw whom, Benjie?" - -"Saw the pirates, did you?" - -"The pirates! You're half-asleep. What are you talking about?" - -Ben nodded his head. "Oh, I know something about them." - -"Well, I saw three men. They went away in a sailboat." - -"Who were they? What did they look like?" - -"I don't know. I didn't get very close." - -"I wish you'd taken me along with you. I'll bet I'd have found out -something." - -That nettled Tom, and he answered more loudly, "Oh, you would, would -you? I thought you knew all about them." - -"Sh-ssh," muttered Ben. But David had wakened now, and his voice boomed -out, "What are you two lobsters quarreling over?" - -"Nothing," said Tom. "Keep quiet, or you'll wake the Professor." - -Tuckerman sat up. "You don't mean to say it's morning!" he exclaimed. - -"No, it's not," Tom answered. "Can't a fellow take a stroll in the -moonlight without rousing the whole town?" - -"Stroll in the moonlight!" chuckled David. - -"Go on with your beauty sleep, Professor. That's what I'm going to do. -Let the two lobsters fight it out." - -"All right," said the sleepy Tuckerman, nestling down again. - -Tom turned to Ben. "So you know something about these pirates, do you?" -he asked. "What were they doing here?" - -"That," said Ben, "is going to take some thinking. You see what you can -find out, and I'll see what I can. They won't be back here to-night. And -I'm too doggone sleepy to argue anyhow." - - - - - XI--THE MAN IN GREEN - - -Ben, having explained to the other three campers that he had important -business to attend to in Barmouth, set out in the _Red Rover_ directly -after breakfast the next morning. He paddled the canoe across the bay, -landed at the town wharf, and went up the main street to Barmouth's one -good hotel. He knew the clerk, Mr. Pollock, and after saying "Good -morning" very politely, he helped himself to a small folded automobile -map from a pile that lay on the counter for anyone to take. - -"Going motoring, Ben?" asked the clerk. "Seems to me I heard you were -camping on Cotterell's Island. How are things over there?" - -"Fine," said Ben; and in return he promptly asked a question. "Had many -automobile parties for dinner the past few days?" - -"Quite a lot. Yes, business is pretty good. They like our special -broiled lobster dinners." - -Ben leaned on the counter, copying the familiar manner he had noted in -hotel guests. "You had a party on Tuesday, didn't you? A big red car, -with a Massachusetts license, driven by a man in green-checked -knickerbockers?" - -"Expect me to remember that?" Nevertheless, Mr. Pollock scratched his -chin and considered the question. "Yes, seems to me I do recall such a -party. Somebody said those knickerbockers were loud enough to be heard -all the way to Boston." The clerk thumbed the pages of the hotel -register and presently pointed out a name. "That's the fellow, Joseph -Hastings. He comes from Cleveland, Ohio. There were four in his party." - -"And he came in a big red car, with a silver eagle on the radiator cap?" -Ben persisted. - -"Well, now, I can't say as to that." But Mr. Pollock, being a -good-natured man and having nothing else to do at the moment, scratched -his chin again, and again considered. "I do think of something. He told -me he'd punctured a tire and asked me the best place to go to buy a new -one." - -Ben nodded. "I suppose you told him Hammond's?" - -"You're right. I did. Frank Hammond is a good friend of mine." - -Then Ben changed the conversation to the subject of the big league -pennant race, in which the clerk was very much interested, and after -some further chat, departed from the hotel. - -Frank Hammond knew Ben also, and was not too busy that morning to -exchange a few words with him. After a number of questions about the -state of the roads in the neighborhood of Barmouth, Ben said, "Mr. -Pollock tells me you sold a tire to Joseph Hastings, of Cleveland, Ohio, -Tuesday of this week." - -"That's so," said Mr. Hammond, "I did. I sold him a couple of those big -Vulcan tires for his rear wheels. Is he a friend of yours?" - -"I don't know him very well," Ben evaded. "But I hear he's a fine -fellow. Is he touring along the coast?" - -"No. He said he was staying at a place called the Gables, down on the -Cape Ann Road. Wonderful car he's got. He told me he'd had it built -according to his own ideas." - -"Big red car, with a silver eagle on the radiator cap?" - -"That's the bird. Yes, sir, he must be a millionaire." - -When he left the dealer in automobile supplies Ben went to his uncle's -house and secured the loan of a small, ramshackle car he had often -driven before. He made sure that the car had plenty of gasoline and oil, -that the radiator was full of water, and he took a look at the tires. -Then he drove south from Barmouth over the State Road. - -It was a fine day, and many cars were out. Ben kept a watchful eye for -such a car as that of Joseph Hastings, but none answering the -description passed him. So he jogged along until he came to the fork of -the Cape Ann Road and turned into it. There were fewer automobiles here, -the road was not made for speeding, the little car bounced about a good -deal going over ruts, and rattled like a load of tinware. - -He met a boy on a bicycle and asked him if he knew a place called the -Gables. - -"Down the road a couple of miles," the boy told him. "Big house with a -ship for a weather-vane." - -Ben thanked him and drove on. Pretty soon he saw the weather-vane on a -roof to the left of the road. - -The Gables had a wide lawn, stretching down to a stone wall. The -entrance to the drive was at the southern end, and the gateposts were -flanked with larches. Ben drove to the gate, and stopped. So far his -plan had been simple; now he was undecided what course to follow next. - -He was musing over this when a voice hailed him. - -"Give you greetings, sir. May I ask what you're pondering over?" - -The words were so peculiar that Ben looked around in surprise. A young -man had stepped out from among the trees and was nodding at him. - -"Why--good-morning," said Ben. - -"Has your car run out of juice?" - -The man came up, a broad smile on his face. He himself looked very much -like any sunburned fellow; but his costume was most peculiar. He wore a -tight-fitting jacket of green, open at the throat, without any necktie. -His knee-breeches were green, too, and so were his stockings, and on his -low brown shoes were large brass buckles. - -"No," said Ben, with an answering smile, for there was a twinkle in the -stranger's eye as if he knew some joke, "I've gasoline enough to run -this car all day. I'll admit it isn't the very latest model--not what -you'd call a show car--but we do get wonderful mileage per gallon of -gas." - -"Don't make any apologies for your equipage," said the gentleman in -green. "Many a valiant knight has ridden on a steed that wouldn't have -taken the blue ribbon at the horse show. Don Quixote, for example. You -remember him, of course? The Spanish cavalier who rode forth to tilt at -windmills?" - -"Yes," said Ben with a laugh. And then, seeing that the man was -friendly, he added, "That's a wonderful suit of clothes you're wearing." - -"You like it?" The owner looked down at his costume. "I designed it -myself. It seems to me an improvement on the usual thing. And now, kind -sir, since you tell me that your steed has plenty of fodder, may I ask -how you happen to be sitting here on such a fine day?" - -"This place is called the Gables, isn't it?" asked Ben. "Mr. Joseph -Hastings lives here?" - -"Right you are," answered the man. "But Mr. Hastings isn't at home this -morning. Did you have business with him?" - -"In a way. I wanted to find out if he'd lost a silver snuff-box." - -"A snuff-box? That's interesting. But I don't think Joseph Hastings -takes snuff." - -Ben drew the box from his pocket. The man in green looked at it. "Now -where did you find this?" he asked. - -"On an island in Barmouth Harbor," said Ben. "Cotterell's Island, it's -called." - -"Well!" exclaimed the man. "Well, well--you don't say so!" He looked at -the boy in the car with a new interest. "So that's where you come from, -is it?" He returned the snuff-box. "May I be so inquisitive as to ask -your name?" - -"Benjamin Sully." - -"Thank you. My own appellation is Roderick Fitzhugh. If you have no -objection, Mr. Sully, I should greatly enjoy the pleasure of riding with -you." - -Ben didn't know what to say; and Mr. Fitzhugh evidently took his silence -for consent, for he immediately hopped into the seat beside the driver. - -"That's all right," said Ben; "but you see I wasn't thinking of riding -anywhere. I came to find out whether Mr. Hastings had lost a snuff-box -on Cotterell's Island." - -"Just so. But you can't find that out, as he's not at home at present. -And meantime I suggest that we go on a little adventure. A fine day, a -steed with plenty of gasoline, and two gentlemen looking for amusement." - -Ben was mystified. "What sort of adventure?" he asked. - -"Well, what would you say to hunting for hooked-rugs?" - -"Hooked-rugs?" Ben laughed; he was now so much amused at Roderick -Fitzhugh's company that he wanted to see more of him. "Do they grow on -bushes?" - -"No. They grow in these thrifty Yankee cottages. I'll tell you where to -go." - -Ben started the engine and drove on. At his companion's direction he -soon turned into a by-road that led westward. - -Roderick Fitzhugh nodded toward a cottage, in the yard of which a woman -was scattering grain to a flock of chickens. "There is a likely-looking -hunting-ground," he said. "Please stop when you come to the gate. I will -exchange a few words with this respectable lady." - -The car stopped, making its customary noise of clattering tinware as Ben -put on the brake. The woman looked round, and in the usual neighborly -fashion of farmers walked over to the gate. - -"Morning," she said. - -"Good morning to you, Madam," responded Roderick Fitzhugh. "You have a -fine flock of hens." - -"Yes," she said, looking at the man in the green clothes as if she -didn't know exactly what to make of him. - -"My friend and I," continued Fitzhugh, "were just discussing the subject -of hooked-rugs. As soon as I saw you I said, 'There's a woman who knows -all about them.'" His tone was so deferential that anyone would have -been pleased to be addressed in such a manner. - -The woman smiled. "Well, now, I don't know as how I know all about them; -but I do have a few old rugs. Been in the family some time." - -"You see!" exclaimed Fitzhugh, turning to Ben. And to the woman he -added, "Would it be possible for my friend and me to have a look at -them?" - -"Surely it would. But they're not the new shiny kind you can buy at the -stores in the city." - -Fitzhugh and Ben descended and followed the woman indoors. Presently -they were viewing half-a-dozen antique rugs, all of the hooked variety, -that the woman collected from the upstairs rooms. - -Ben looked on with interest and amusement while his new friend discussed -the rugs with their owner. And after listening to Fitzhugh's admiration -for these things that she evidently regarded as rather faded and only -fit for service in bedrooms and attic, the woman said, "I'd be pleased -to have you take one, if you care to." - -"Oh, madam, you are too generous," Fitzhugh answered. "And yet I should -like to have one. That medium-sized one, with the purple border. I'd be -glad to pay five dollars for it." - -"Why, it's not worth that much." - -"It is to me," said Fitzhugh, and he brought out a five-dollar bill from -his trouser pocket and laid it on the table. - -With the rug they returned to the car. As they drove on again Fitzhugh -said, "They used to tell me, when I was a small boy, that you could take -one egg from a nest, and if there were several others left the mother -bird wouldn't know the difference. I don't know whether that's so. But -I'm certain this good woman won't miss that rug very much. So my -conscience is easy, though I got that prize at a bargain. Now, Mr. -Benjamin Sully, what do you say? Isn't hunting for hooked-rugs -exciting?" - -It was fun to hunt them with this amusing companion. Fitzhugh collected -three more at three other houses, paying five dollars for each. At the -third house the farmer and his wife and children were just sitting down -to dinner and the strangers were invited to join them. They had an -excellent meal, during which the man in green did almost all the -talking, and when they returned to the car and started on again he -rubbed his hands gleefully and said, "Mr. Benjamin Sully, it isn't so -hard to find adventures if you look for them, is it?" - -"Well," Ben answered, "this is all very well; but I set out this morning -to see Mr. Hastings and learn if he'd lost a snuff-box." - -"That's so, you did. Joseph Hastings--a silver snuff-box--found on -Cotterell's Island. What makes you think that the snuff-box you found -there belonged to Joseph Hastings?" - -Ben considered how much to tell this Roderick Fitzhugh, and finally -decided to supply him with more facts. "The snuff-box was bought by Mr. -Hastings at a shop in Barmouth, and I found it yesterday in a chest -hidden in a crevice in the rocks on the island. Why did he put it -there?" - -The man in green beamed with delight. "In a treasure chest? Why, that's -splendid!" He looked at Ben with new approval in his eyes. "So you're -mixed up in a real adventure, are you? Treasure hidden in the rocks--on -an island! Why, that's magnificent! No wonder you didn't get excited -over my tame hooked-rugs. Turn the car about, and drive back to the -Gables. We must investigate this." - -Half-an-hour later the little car turned in between the gate-posts at -the Gables. It clattered up the drive to the front of the house. On the -wide porch were at least a dozen people, men and women; and when they -saw the occupants of the car they gave a shout of welcome. - -"Hello, here's the lad in green!" - -"We thought you'd been kidnapped!" - -"Where'd you find the jitney?" - -"Hope you've had some lunch!" - -"We thought you'd been arrested as a suspicious character in those -clothes!" - -These were some of the exclamations. - -The man got out of the car and threw his bundle of rugs on the steps of -the porch. "My good friends," he said, "Roderick Fitzhugh has been -adventuring, and there's his booty. Four beautiful hooked-rugs to add to -the collection. And this is Mr. Benjamin Sully. Ladies and gentlemen, -Mr. Sully has found a silver snuff-box belonging to Joseph Hastings in a -treasure chest on Cotterel's Island. What do you think of that?" - -There was another chorus of exclamations, expressive of great surprise. - -"Mr. Sully," the man in green continued, "if you'll get down from your -steed we will partake of a long glass of lemonade--two glasses to be -exact." - -Ben climbed down and went up the steps. And then he noticed that all the -people on the porch were dressed in quaint costumes, as milkmaids or -archers or foresters. He looked at Fitzhugh, and the latter nodded. -"Queer crowd, aren't they?" said Fitzhugh. "However, they won't bite." - - - - - XII--THE ADVENTURE AT THE COVE - - -That same morning, while Ben had been hunting for the owner of the red -automobile with the silver eagle on the radiator cap, Tom and David and -John Tuckerman had sailed down to Camp Amoussock in the _Argo_. They -found the boys at the camp in their bathing-suits, practicing for some -water-sports that were to be held that week. A raft, with a -spring-board, was moored off shore, and from this boys were diving and -turning somersaults, backward and forward, like acrobats in a circus. - -Other boys were swimming, practising for races, and still others were -paddling round in tubs, trying to steer with their feet while they -propelled the tubs forward by splashing the water with their hands. - -"There," said John Tuckerman, as he saw a fat youngster revolving round -and round in a tub, "that's the game for me. I believe, with my long -arms and legs, that I'd make a hit at it." - -The fat boy splashed too hard, and the tub went over neatly. There was a -shout of laughter as the boy bobbed up in the water and tried to turn -the slippery tub rightside up again. This was hard work; the tub went -round and round, continually evading his fingers; and finally he swam to -shore, pushing the tub before him. - -"No," said Tuckerman, "that isn't the game for me. I used to be pretty -good at picking up a pea in a tablespoon, but that was on dry land. When -it comes to wrestling with a tub in the water--" He gave an expressive -shrug--"I'd rather let the fishes do it." - -The _Argo_ landed, and the three guests were provided with bathing-suits -from the camp's supply. For half-an-hour they swam and dived and perched -on the raft, watching the boys in tubs. Then a bugle sounded on shore, -telling them it was time to get ready for dinner. - -The guests did full justice to dinner, sitting between Mr. Perkins, the -Chief Counsellor, and Lanky Larry. Afterwards Mr. Perkins and John -Tuckerman had a chat, while Lanky invited Tom and David to take a walk -along the shore. - -"There's a queer sort of place a couple of miles to the south," said -Lanky. "It's a cove with a lot of shanties. Fishermen used to go there; -there are boats and nets lying around; but I think it must be deserted. -I saw some men there one day last week, but they didn't look like -fishermen." - -"Lead us to it," said David. "Deserted villages are right in our line." - -The path along the shore brought them to the cove. A little tidal river -ran inland, wandering up into marshes. On each side of the river was a -stony beach, and a rickety bridge, with a single handrail, connected the -banks of the stream. Small weatherbeaten shacks, doors and shutters -sagging outward, fishing-dories, rusty anchors, lobster-pots, a few nets -with round black buoys, these cluttered up either shore. - -"Nice place, if it wasn't for the shanties," said David, regarding the -cove. - -"I found a chap painting here one day," said Lanky. "He told me it made -a great picture; he liked the shanties first-rate." - -"Funny what things painters like," chuckled David. "The more ramshackle -a house is, the more they want to paint it." - -They went down a rocky path to the nearer beach, and sat on the bottom -of an upturned scow. As they were chatting they heard the creak of a -door, opening on rusty hinges. A man came out from one of the nearer -shacks. His clothes were fairly new, he wore a brown slouch hat and tan -shoes--evidently he was not a fisherman; neither was he a farmer nor a -common loafer; he looked as if he came from a town. He was smoking a -small briar pipe. - -"What are you doing here?" The man's tone was a little peremptory, -though not exactly surly. - -David enjoyed such a question. With a pleasant, friendly smile he -answered, "Just sitting here and thinking." - -"That's all you're doing, eh?" - -"It is at present," David answered. "What are you doing yourself?" - -The man frowned; looked up the creek, looked across at the opposite -shore. "Nobody lives here now," he stated after a minute. "Sometimes I -come and fish from that bridge." - -"What's happened to the place?" asked Lanky. - -"I don't know. Only nobody comes here now." - -"Well, we came this afternoon," said David. "You see, we're explorers." - -"You won't find anything to explore." - -"Oh, I don't know about that." - -The man shot a glance at David, not a very amiable glance. And with that -he walked to the bridge, crossed it, and went into the huddle of shacks -on the other bank. - -"Pleasant sort of customer," said Lanky. - -"He'd make a cow laugh," said Tom. - -"He didn't like our being here," observed David, "Now I wonder why." - -"He wants it all to himself," said Lanky. "He must be some sort of -hermit." - -"And just for that,", said David, "I feel like sitting right here on -this scow till he gets more hospitable." - -As a matter of fact, however, sitting on the upturned boat and watching -the waves surge gently up over the stony beach and then withdraw in a -network of little rivulets that made the stones and pebbles glisten was -not entertaining enough to keep the three boys there more than five -minutes. Tom got up. "I'm going over the bridge," he said. "If our -friend the hermit doesn't like it--well, he'll just have to lump it." - -The bridge shook as the three of them stepped upon it. "For goodness -sake, don't lean against that railing," Lanky warned. "Stop bouncing up -and down as you walk, Dave, or you'll have us all in the water." - -David went on bouncing; but in spite of that they reached the other -shore safely. No one was to be seen here; somewhere in the clutter of -shanties the man had disappeared. - -"I'd like to know what that precious hermit is up to," said David, and -he walked toward the shacks that were furthest from the bridge. - -Lanky and Tom investigated in the other direction, where a clump of oaks -came close down to the stream. At the edge of the trees was a shack a -little larger and better built than the others. The door was open, and -the two boys looked in. "Hello!" exclaimed Tom. "What's that on the -bench? It looks like jewelry." - -A brown cloak, a brown hat with a red feather stuck at one side, and a -chain of gold links with a large green stone as a pendant, were piled on -the bench. - -Tom picked up the ornament. "It's imitation," he said. He looked around -the room. "Why, there's a whole wardrobe of queer hats and cloaks and -things here!" - -"So there is," said Lanky. "What do you suppose they are? Actors' -things?" - -"Actors' things?" Tom glanced at the outfit of costumes that hung on -pegs on one wall. "They're certainly not fishermen's things. But what -would actors be doing in this cove?" - -"I don't know," Lanky admitted. "It is funny, isn't it?" - -They looked at the costumes more closely, and then went out of the -shack. "I wonder if that man knows something about them," Lanky -suggested. "He might have been keeping guard." - -"Let's see what Dave's doing," said Tom, and started along the bank. - -He had only taken a few steps, however, when he stopped. "Here comes a -boat around the point. Let's beat it, and see what they do." - -The two slipped back of a cabin, then to a shelter of bushes. Crouching -there, they watched the boat nose its bow into the cove. - -The boat was a dory. One man was rowing, two others sat in the stern. -They looked no more like the usual type of fishermen than had the man -whom the boys had first encountered. - -With considerable splashing the boat was rowed up to the bridge. The -tide was low, and there was hardly enough water at that point to float -the dory. The rower shipped his oars and tied the boat to the railing of -the bridge. Meantime the other two men stepped over the side and came up -on to the beach. - -All three headed toward the shack that the boys had just left and went -in at the door. - -"They seem to know their way about," whispered Lanky. "I wonder why -Dave's friend didn't come down to meet them." - -In a few minutes the three men came out again, and now they had some of -the cloaks and hats in their hands. Each put on a cloak and a hat and -strutted about; they laughed and joked at each other. - -"What in the world----" muttered Lanky. "Actors. I told you," Tom -whispered. "They look like highwaymen." - -The men now seemed satisfied with their costumes. Hats pulled well down -on their heads and cloaks thrown over their shoulders, they took the -path toward the clump of oaks. - -"I say," muttered Lanky, "what do you suppose they're going to do? Hold -up some farmer's wagon? Come on, I want to find out what's their game." - -"I'd better get Dave," said Tom. "You follow them. I'll catch up with -you in a minute." - -"All right." - -Lanky went one way, and Tom the other. - -Tom ran over the stones between the shanties, and looked in at the open -doors; but he did not see David nor the man they had met first. He gave -the whistle he used to call David in Barmouth. There was no answer. The -shacks on this side of the stream all appeared deserted. - -David was not to be found, and Tom supposed he must have gone further -along the shore. Meantime he would be losing the chance of finding -Lanky, so after whistling several times more Tom turned and ran toward -the oaks. - -The path along the cove was well marked, it traversed the high ground at -the edge of the marshes and turned into fairly thick woods. At a -dog-trot Tom soon came up with Lanky. "I couldn't find Dave," he -grunted. "I guess he found the hermit so fascinating he went for a -stroll with him." - -"I've kept my eye on the three highwaymen," said Lanky. "This seems to -be the only path around here, marshes on one side and the forest -primeval on the other." He glanced at his wrist-watch. "I ought to be -getting back to camp; but I can't leave an adventure like this. It -wouldn't be decent, would it?" - -"It would not," Tom assented. "If they try to blame you, you refer them -to me. I'll say that we thought those fellows were up to some kind of -mischief, and that it seemed to be our duty to investigate them. And -that's telling the truth; they're what Benjie would call 'suspicious -characters.'" - -Every once in a while the boys would catch a glimpse of one or other of -the cloaked men through the vista of the trees. Then the boys would stop -and let the others get well ahead of them. And presently they reached a -dusty road and saw the men tramping along to the south. - -Tom and Lanky had to come out in the open then, but, as Lanky pointed -out, there was no reason why the men, if they saw them, should think the -two boys were at all interested in what they were doing. They walked a -half-mile without encountering anyone, and then the boys saw an -automobile coming toward the three in front. - -"Now," said Tom, "we'll see if they're highwaymen. This is a nice quiet -place to hold up a car." - -But the men disappeared by jumping over a fence that ran along the woods -on the left. The automobile, a man and a woman in it, dashed by the -boys, leaving a cloud of dust. - -"So ho!" exclaimed Lanky, "our friends don't want to be seen! Suppose we -make ourselves scarce till they come back to the road." - -The boys hid in the woods, and presently the three men reappeared on the -road. Tom and Lanky followed suit, and the march was resumed. - -A mile more, and the men came to a crossroad. They turned toward the -west. When the boys reached the crossroad Lanky stopped. "This is a -private lane," he said. "See, it leads up to that barn and stable. And -there's a big house. Our friends are going in the back way." - -There was a screen of trees at the corner. The boys went along the lane -until the screen gave way to a close-cropped hedge. Here they had a view -of a wide, velvety lawn and the large house, red-striped awnings at the -windows, on a gently-rising slope. - -"Hello!" exclaimed Tom. "Look there!" - -There was no heed of his telling Lanky to look. Lanky was staring at -that part of the lawn that was shielded by the trees at the corner. -There was a small, one-story house that looked as if it were made of -cardboard, a very picturesque building, brightly painted to resemble -cross-timbers, with two little lattice windows. And grouped about the -grass in front of the house were a dozen or so men and women, all of -them dressed in fancy costumes, looking as if they had just stepped out -of a picture book or down from the stage of a theatre. - -"My eye!" said Tom. "What is it? A fancy dress party?" - -"Looks like a Robin Hood scene," said Lanky. "Some of them have bows and -arrows. See that girl in pink working that churn." He watched for a -moment; then added, "So that's why our friends the highwaymen came along -this way." - -"They don't seem to have joined the crowd," said Tom. "Why didn't they -jump over the hedge?" - -The people on the lawn were too busy to notice the boys in the lane. -Lanky nodded. "That's so. And it seems to me, Tom, that that crowd are a -different type from our three friends. These people belong here; but I -don't think the others do." - -The boys looked up the lane. The three men had entered at a gate that -led to the rear of the big house. - -"Let's see what they're doing," said Tom. - -Along the lane went the two boys, and turned in at the gate. - -The men had disappeared. Lanky shook his head. "It's queer, mighty -queer. Of course those fellows may belong here. But why should they come -all the way from that cove? And bring those hats and cloaks with them?" -He scratched his ear, as he did when he was puzzled. - -"Come along," said Tom. "Nobody'll throw us out." - -They crossed the lawn to the steps of the porch. A man came out from the -front door, a man in livery, apparently the butler. He held himself very -straight, he was an angular person, with a fishy eye. - -"Yes?" he said; and though the word was a short one he managed to -express in it a cold sense of disapproval. - -"Er--" began Tom, "we would like to know if three men, wearing brown -cloaks and big slouch hats, just came into this house." - -The butler shrugged his shoulders. "There are gentlemen and ladies -wearing every kind of costume coming in and going out all the time," he -answered stiffly. - -That seemed to put an end to further questions; but Lanky, after -considering the matter for a moment, inquired, "Whose place is this?" - -"It belongs to Mr. Hastings," said the butler, eyeing the boys most -disapprovingly. "He is not at home at present. But I can answer any -questions for him." - -Neither Lanky nor Tom, however, could think of any questions to ask. It -seemed absurd to tell this fishy-eyed servant that they had followed the -three men from the cove. And after all the men might have a perfect -right to have entered the house. - -"Very well," said Tom, and turned on his heel, followed by Lanky. - -But when they were out in the lane again, Lanky said, "I'm going to wait -around here a little longer. That servant's a fool. Anybody could put -anything over on him." - -So they climbed up on the stone wall on the other side of the lane and -sat there like two sentries. - - - - - XIII--ON THE FISHING-SMACK - - -When Tom and Lanky had turned to the right and investigated the -fishermen's shanties that were nearest to the marshes, David had turned -to the left, in the direction of the ocean. He had no particular object -in view, except to see what the man they had met on the other bank of -the cove was doing and exchange a few more words with him, if the -opportunity offered. - -He looked through the clutter of small, weatherbeaten sheds without -seeing the man, and came to the beach on the ocean side. A short -distance to the south was a spit of sand, and there, seated on a log, -was the fellow with the straw hat. - -David enjoyed an argument. He was not by nature so curious about other -people as Ben was, but he liked to tease. So, with his hands stuck in -his pockets and a little swagger in his walk, he went toward the man. - -"Looking for a boat to come along and take you for a sail?" he said. -"It's a long walk to town." - -"You'd better be on your way then," the man retorted. His tone was not -very civil, and it made David flush. - -"I can look out for myself." - -"Oh, you can, can you?" The man turned round and glared at the young -fellow. "Well, my advice to you is to make yourself scarce pretty -quick." - -David squared his shoulders. "You don't want me and my friends round -here, do you? A person might think you owned the beach." - -"No," said the man, "I don't want you round here." He looked at the boy -fixedly for a minute. "That's plain enough, isn't it?" - -"Yes, it's plain enough," David admitted. "But I don't see that it's any -reason why we should go." - -"I've business here, and you haven't." - -"Business? You don't seem very busy." - -The man got up from the log and walked away, down the beach toward a -ledge of rock that shut off the southern end. - -What was the man's business? David, rather amused at the other's -surliness, followed after, walking jauntily. - -He climbed the ledge of rock. There was another scallop of beach, with -bushes close down to the sand. The man was not in sight. But there was a -small fishing-smack at anchor not far from the shore, and a dory was -just pulling away from her. - -David stepped down on the beach, and the first thing he knew something -had knocked him flat. He lay sprawling on the sand, a heavy weight on -his back. Someone had caught his two hands and held them like a vise. - -"Holler if you want to," said the man with the straw hat. - -David had no wish to shout. The breath was knocked out of him. - -The man pinned him down, and after kicking a little, David decided the -wisest course was to lie still. - -After a few minutes there was a grating sound on the sand. David twisted -his head enough to see that the dory had landed and that two men were -coming ashore. - -"Hello, Sam, what you got there?" exclaimed one of the strangers. - -"A fresh guy, who wouldn't mind his own business," was the answer. "Now -I'm going to teach him not to meddle:" - -"Good for you, old sport! Give him a good licking." - -"Pity we left the cat-o'-nine-tails out on the boat," said the second -man. - -"Three of them came to the cove," said the man on David's back. "The -other two went away; but this fellow had to go nosing around into other -people's business. I told him to make himself scarce. But not he! Oh no, -he had to find out what I was doing. And now I'm going to take him out -on the boat and watch me do some fishing." - -There was a laugh at this. "You'll let him bait your hook, won't you, -Sam?" asked one. - -"I'll let him take the fish off," Sam retorted. "You fellows row us out, -will you?" - -The others agreed. The man on David's back eased his position. "Now," -said he, "you can come along without any fuss or trouble, or you can -come with a black eye. Suit yourself; it doesn't make any difference to -me." - -Three to one was greater odds than David cared to tackle. "I'll go -along," he grunted. - -The man got up. David followed. Assuming a care-free manner he walked to -the boat and climbed over the high side. A man sat at the oars, and Sam -and the two others took seats on the thwarts. The oars dipped in the -water, and the dory was rowed out to the smack. - -David and Sam went aboard, and the dory with her crew of three rowed -away again in the direction of the cove. - -"Now," said Sam, "make yourself comfortable. You've found out my -business. I'm going to fish for flounders." And he walked aft and down -into the cabin. - -David was puzzled. He could understand that this man might have had a -grudge against him, even that he might have lost his temper and attacked -him as he had; but why should he carry a grudge so far as to make him a -prisoner on his fishing-boat? - -He stared at the shore some time, then walked up toward the bow. Sam had -reappeared from the cabin with fishing-tackle and was angling over the -side. There was a line for David, and so, there being nothing better to -do, David also set to fishing. - -Fish were not biting on that particular afternoon, however. Presently -Sam hauled in his line. "The pesky things never come when you want -them," he said morosely. "I suppose there are lots of them swimming -around everywhere except where _I_ cast my hook." - -"You're not a real fisherman," said David. "There's a knack to catching -fish." - -"No, I'm not; and I don't want to be," was the man's answer. "Of all the -stupid jobs, I think fishing takes the cake." - -David was about to argue this point when another man came out from the -cabin and joined them. At once David, wise in the look of sailormen from -his acquaintance with them on the docks of Barmouth, decided that this -was the skipper. The new arrival stretched his arms and yawned -prodigiously. "Golly, I'm only half-awake yet," he declared. "Sam, -where'd you pick up this fellow?" - -"He wanted to have a look at the boat," said Sam. "In fact he was so set -on having a look at her that I just had to invite him aboard." - -He said this with a sly glance at David, but if he had expected to get -an angry denial he was disappointed, for David, leaning his arms on the -rail, appeared to be in such a deep study of the shore as to allow for -no interruption. - -"The others gone ashore?" asked the skipper, evidently regarding the -reason for David's presence on the boat as a matter of small importance. - -"Yes," said Sam. He pulled a large watch from the upper pocket of his -coat and looked at it. "And it's about time they were coming back." - -There was no sign of them, however; and the sun began to slant toward -the west, and then to dip behind the trees, and still there was no boat -to be seen coming out from the cove. David, strolling up and down the -deck, noticed that Sam was becoming impatient. After a while there was a -fragrant odor of cooking, and David, putting his head in at the cabin -door, saw that the skipper was getting supper in the galley. - -The sun had set when the skipper's voice announced that food was ready. -"Come along," Sam said to David, and though the invitation was not very -cordial David went down to the cabin and ate his fair share of the meal. - -Afterwards the three, on deck, watched the shore for a boat. And when -the beach was quite dark and Sam had looked at his watch a dozen times, -he said, almost angrily, "Well, Captain, I think it's about time to beat -it. They must have changed their plans. We don't want to stay here all -night." - -The skipper glanced at David. "How about him?" he asked, with a jerk of -the head. - -"He can help you sail the boat down to Gosport. That'll pay for his -supper." - -David was tired of inaction. To sail to Gosport attracted him much more -than staying here at anchor any longer. He spoke up quickly: - -"Yes, Captain. I know something about handling sails." - -"Good enough. That's more than Sam does," remarked the skipper. "He's -about as useful in handling this boat as a belaying-pin." - -Shortly the anchor was up and the fishing-smack under way. David carried -out the skipper's orders with proper efficiency. With a gentle breeze -the boat stole southward along the shore, and in half-an-hour the lights -of the little settlement of Gosport were glimmering over the water. - -The smack came up to a wharf. "Now," said Sam to David, "you can go -ashore if you like. The captain and I may do a little cruising, but we -don't need you any longer." - -"Thanks," said David. He had a retort on the tip of his tongue, but -wisely forbore to utter it. He jumped ashore. "If you come to Barmouth, -look me up," he called back. "I'll be glad to show you the town." - -There was a laugh from the skipper, but none from Sam. Immediately the -fishing-smack pushed out again. - -Gosport was a small place, and David knew no one there. He felt in his -pocket, and found he had no money to pay his fare to Barmouth. He walked -along the waterfront, considering what he should do, and presently came -upon a young man, who was starting the engine of a small motor-boat. - -"You're not going anywhere in the neighborhood of Camp Amoussock, are -you?" David asked the man in the boat. - -The other looked around and surveyed the fellow who had asked the -question. "Are you one of the boys from the camp?" - -"I was there at dinner." And in a few words David told the story of what -had happened to him during the afternoon. - -"Well," said the man, "that's a queer yarn. I was just going out for a -moonlight spin, and I might as well go up to the camp as anywhere. Jump -aboard." - -David accepted with alacrity. The motor-boat chugged out from the -landing-stage, and leaving a smooth silver ripple, darted north. - -The owner of the motor-boat--he had told David that his name was Henry -Payson--said that, although he had only been a month at Gosport, he knew -that part of the coast quite well, and had never happened to see any -fishermen in the cove that David described. "That fellow Sam was a -vindictive chap," he added musingly. "But you know, it almost seems as -if he had some other object than merely showing his spitefulness when he -took you off in his boat." - -"That's what I thought," agreed David. "But Tom and Lanky were still at -the cove. He didn't lay hands on them." - -"Well," said Payson, "the cove's around that next point of land. No use -stopping there now, I suppose. Your friends will surely have gone back -to camp." - -When the motor-boat rounded the point, however, Payson changed his mind. -On shore there were a score of lanterns; both banks of the cove fairly -bristled with them. "Hello," exclaimed Payson, "there's something doing -there all right!" And he altered his course so as to bring his craft -into the mouth of the river. - -As the boat ran up to the bridge boys came down from both sides, -apparently all the boys of Camp Amoussock. - -"Why, it's Dave!" cried John Tuckerman. And immediately the two in the -boat were the target of a volley of questions. - -"Hold on!" cried David. "Wait a minute." He swung himself out of the -boat and up to the bridge. - -"Where are Lanky and Tom?" someone asked. - -"Aren't they here?" said David. And as Tuckerman and Mr. Perkins and the -boys from the camp crowded around he told them briefly his adventures -since dinner. - -"We've been hunting for you ever since supper," said Mr. Perkins. "I -can't imagine where Larry and Tom can have gone." - -"Those three men rowed in here in the dory," said David. "Perhaps they -carried Larry and Tom off somewhere." - -"We've hunted through every shack," said Bill Crawford. "And we've been -down the coast a couple of miles." - -The chorus of voices explaining where they had hunted started in again, -interrupted by Mr. Perkins giving the order to his troop to take the -road back to camp. - -David thanked Henry Payson, and the motor-boat chugged away. By the path -along the shore the searchers regained Camp Amoussock. And there Mr. -Perkins and John Tuckerman and David held a council as to what to do -next. - -The upshot was that Mr. Perkins got out a small car, and with Tuckerman -and David set out to see if they could learn any news of the missing -boys. - - - - - XIV--BEN AT THE GABLES - - -Ben that afternoon had a long, cool glass of lemonade on the porch of -the Gables while his friend Roderick Fitzhugh introduced him to the men -and women who were sitting in wicker easy chairs. It seemed to Ben that -their names were somewhat fantastic, but then so were their clothes, and -the names did appear to suit the costumes. - -"This lady," said Fitzhugh, nodding to a rosy-cheeked girl, who wore her -brown hair in two long plaits down her back and whose dress was of -primrose yellow, "is the fair Maid Rosalind. She can sing like a -nightingale and dance like a wave of the sea, and when she churns butter -it comes out pure gold." - -The girl stood up and made a curtsy. "Thanks, kind Master Roderick," she -said. "But perhaps your friend Master Ben doesn't care for gold on his -bread." - -"The more fool he," answered Fitzhugh. - -"However, he can eat plumcake." And Ben's host pushed a plate of -delicious-looking cake toward his guest. - -"Yonder man in the high boots, with the fierce mustaches," Fitzhugh -continued, "bears the high-sounding name of Sir Marmaduke Midchester. He -looks like a sword swallower, but he is really as gentle as a lamb. He -has been known to eat crumbs out of Maid Rosalind's hand." - -"Glad to meet Master Sully," said Sir Marmaduke. "I wrote a song this -morning--words and music both--perhaps he would like to hear me sing -it." - -Fitzhugh held up his hand. "Not just now, Marmaduke, please. Let my -guest digest his plumcake in quiet." - -So the introductions went on, with all sorts of jokes and banter. It was -a jolly crowd, and Ben was enjoying it hugely. He began to find his -tongue and make retorts of his own. But when he had finished the -lemonade and the cake he turned to his host. "I'd like to stay, but I -think I had better be getting back," he said. "I've got to go out to -Cotterell's Island." - -"No, no, Master Ben. If you'd like to stay, you shall stay. Cotterell's -Island can wait. We need you here at present." - -"Well, but----" began Ben. - -"There are no 'buts' about it," answered Fitzhugh. "List to me, my lad. -This place is a green oasis in a desert of modern things. Here we do as -we please. And it pleases us now to be ladies and gentlemen of good -Sherwood Forest and Nottingham." Fitzhugh stood up. "Come with me. I'll -find you more fitting clothes than those simple togs you have on." - -Ben grinned. He was fond of dressing up and had often acted in school -theatricals in Barmouth. He didn't know what Fitzhugh and his friends -were planning, but he thought he would like to take part in the game. -After all, his car would take him quickly back to town and he could -paddle out to the island by moonlight, if necessary. So he followed -Fitzhugh indoors and up a wide staircase to the second floor. - -When he came down again he wore brown doublet and hose, with a brown -cloak slung from his shoulders and a broad-brimmed brown hat on his -head. There was a chorus of approval from the group on the porch. - -"Master Ben, apprentice to an armorer," Fitzhugh introduced him. "And -now, my lads and lasses, let us hie us out to the greenwood tree." - -There was nothing formal about Roderick Fitzhugh's friends. The crowd -had hardly more than descended the steps of the porch when the girl -called Maid Rosalind and the man called Sir Marmaduke Midchester each -took one of Ben's hands and raced across the lawn. Luckily Ben had -pulled his broad-brimmed hat on tight. His cloak flew back from his -shoulders. And he heard shouts and laughs from the rest of the party as -they followed pell mell. - -The lawn of the Gables was wide and gently sloping. When Rosalind and -Sir Marmaduke finally slackened speed Ben found they had come to a -corner where poplars and spruces made a background against a road. One -oak tree stood out by itself, and there was a small house with -picturesque criss-crossed windows and a door with big curved hinges. - -"There," said Sir Marmaduke, "behold the Forest of Sherwood! There -aren't so many trees, but each of them is a giant." - -Rosalind flung herself down near the oak. "Oh, Master Ben," she panted, -"fan me with your hat." - -And while Ben gallantly flapped his hat close to the red-cheeked lady, -the others came bounding into the glade, like so many children just let -out from school. - -In a few minutes Fitzhugh, a paper in his hand, was calling out -directions. Ben, observing everything, saw a couple of men crossing the -lawn with what looked like a big camera. He turned to Rosalind. "I know -what it is," he whispered. "You're moving-picture people doing a play." - -"Good for you," she answered. She nodded toward Fitzhugh. "He wrote the -plot, and we've been dressing up and doing it every day this week." - -The play began, and went on for an hour or so, with frequent -interruptions. Some scenes were done over and over again before Fitzhugh -was satisfied with them. He found a part for Ben, and instructed him -carefully how to act before the camera. And whenever the company got -tired the cameramen turned off their machine, and the actors lounged on -the greensward while somebody sang or did a fancy dance. - -It was great sport, and Ben was surprised when, glancing toward the -west, he saw that the sun had set behind the trees. - -"I must be going," he said to Fitzhugh. "I've had a splendid time." - -Fitzhugh waved his hand at the cameramen. "That's enough for to-day. We -always end with a woodland dance, Ben, and then, back to the house for -dinner." - -"I can't stay to dinner," began Ben; but before he could say more -Rosalind and another girl had each caught a hand of his and the whole -company had spread out in a ring. Rosalind started to sing, and all the -others took up the song. There followed a dance, in which Ben did his -share, and then the crowd formed into a line, each with his hands on the -shoulders of the one in front, and led by Fitzhugh they wound across the -wide lawn and back to the Gables. - -"Now," said Ben to his host, when they arrived on the porch, "I'll get -into my own clothes and dash back to Barmouth." - -"What? Without dinner? I can't let you go hungry." Fitzhugh turned to a -servant. "Show this gentleman up to the yellow guestroom and get him -whatever he wants." - -It was difficult to argue with such a positive man as that; and moreover -Ben was thoroughly enjoying his adventure. To be shown up to the yellow -guestroom, and later to dine with such a company of moving-picture -people would be a new and delightful experience. He would have a story -to tell Tom and David and John Tuckerman when he got back to the island -that would make them open their eyes. So Ben followed the servant into -the house, where the lamps were already lighted. - -There was a gallery on the second floor, with ever so many rooms opening -from it. The servant went to a door and turned the knob. "This is the -yellow room, sir. You'll find clean towels in the bathroom. If you want -anything, there's an electric push button." - -Ben went in and shut the door. He had never seen a more luxuriously -furnished bedroom. He switched on an electric light and a little -orange-shaded lamp on a table shone forth. He threw his hat on the -bureau and rolled up the sleeves of his doublet. - -The door of a bathroom stood open. He went in, turned on the water, and -washed his face and hands. As he was drying them with a towel he walked -over to a window. Looking out, he saw a garage and a circular driveway. -Beyond that was a lane that led back of a big barn. And on the stone -wall on the opposite side of the lane two boys were sitting. - -Ben stopped using the towel, and stared. The two boys looked -surprisingly like Tom and Lanky Larry. They were at some distance from -the house and the shadow of the barn fell across the stone wall. But -they did look like Tom and Lanky. However, it was inconceivable that -those two should be sitting there. He must be mistaken. For what could -possibly have brought those two to the neighborhood of the Gables? And -why should they perch on a stone wall as if they had nothing to do? - -Ben turned to go back to the yellow room; but in the doorway he stopped. -Someone was there, at the bureau, a man in a brown hat and cloak. He had -pulled a bureau drawer out and was looking in it. Some one of the guests -must have mistaken this room for his own. - -"Hello," said Ben, "I didn't know there was anyone here." - -The man looked over his shoulder. "My mistake," he said. "I thought this -was my room. I beg your pardon. My room is next door." - -"I don't wonder you didn't know the right one," Ben said politely. "I -never saw a house with so many rooms. I say, in that cloak and hat you -look very much like me in my costume. I don't remember seeing you in the -moving-pictures." - -"I changed my things," muttered the man. "Sometimes I wear one set and -other times another." He walked to the door, opened it, and went down -the hall. - -"That's funny," said Ben, half-aloud. "He keeps his hat on in the house. -I suppose he thinks, because it's part of his costume, it's a perfectly -proper thing to do." - -Before the mirror at the bureau Ben put on his own broad-brimmed hat, -turned on the light at a wall-bracket, and surveyed himself in the -glass. - -"The hat does help to make a fellow look different," he said to himself. -"I guess I'll keep mine on when I go downstairs; though I don't suppose -it would be the right thing to wear a hat to dinner." - -He switched off both the lights and went out into the hall. The gallery -and the lower floor of the big house appeared to be empty; he supposed -the guests had all gone to make ready for dinner. He walked around the -gallery to the staircase. The afterglow of sunset partly lighted the -lower floor, and here and there soft lamps shed circles of radiance, but -for the most part the house was pleasantly shadowy, which made its fine -furnishings all the more interesting. - -Ben went down the stairs and stopped in the large hall to look at a -grandfather's clock that stood opposite the front door. Above the dial -was a painted ship that sailed on a deep-blue sea. He was admiring the -ship when somewhere in the upper part of the house someone gave a -scream. - -Ben waited a moment. There was another shout. Doors on the gallery -opened. He heard people calling "What's the matter?" There was confusion -above-stairs. Someone shouted "Lock the doors! Don't let him get away!" - -The front door was open. Ben dashed across the polished floor to shut -it. - -His hand was on the knob when someone caught him from behind. A rug -slipped under his feet and he came down hard on the floor. - -Someone had fallen on top of him, someone had tackled him tight about -the knees, a regular football tackle. - -There was a babel of voices. Someone shouted, "We've got him all right!" - -Ben tried to speak, to explain. "Hold on there!" he grunted. - -But someone else was explaining. He heard someone say, "We heard the -yells, and we came in at the side door, and we saw this fellow dashing -for the front door." - -Then Ben heard Fitzhugh's voice. "Well, he won't get away now," Fitzhugh -said. "Suppose you let him up." - -The fellow who had made the tackle released Ben's knees and Ben turned -around and sat up. - -"My eye! If it isn't Ben Sully!" - -Ben saw Tom and Lanky Larry staring at him in wide-eyed wonder. - -"Of course it is, Tom, you goat!" Ben responded. "Who did you think it -was?" - -"We thought you were one of the men we tracked here from the cove," said -Tom. "They wore cloaks and hats like yours; and you did look as if you -were trying to escape." - -"I was going to lock the front door," said Ben, getting to his feet. -"What's the trouble anyhow, Mr. Fitzhugh?" - -"Two of the ladies found things missing from their rooms--jewels," -explained Fitzhugh. "And one of the men saw a fellow sneaking down a -passage." He turned to Tom and Lanky. "I don't know who you two are, but -Ben seems to, so that's all right. Let's see if we can find the thief." - -Immediately everyone was busy. Some went outdoors, some hunted through -the house. The Gables blazed with light; the garage and the other -outbuildings were thoroughly searched. But no thief was found, and -half-an-hour later the whole company met on the porch to talk over the -matter. - -Tom and Lanky by turns told their tale, how they had seen the three men -at the cove put on cloaks and hats and how they had followed the men to -the Gables. The butler, looking rather sheepish, admitted that the boys -had spoken to him about the strangers and that he had not thought their -story merited his attention. Then Tom said that he and Lanky had sat on -the stone wall until they heard shouts in the house, and had then run in -at a side door, and in the hall had seen a fellow dressed just like the -three they had followed apparently making his escape. "We didn't know -Ben was anywhere near here," he added; "and anyway we wouldn't have -recognized him in that blooming hat." - -Ben told about his finding the stranger, dressed like himself, hunting -through the bureau drawer in the yellow room. The guests who had missed -their jewels and the man who had seen someone stealing along a passage -repeated their stories. "Well," said Fitzhugh, when they had all -finished, "you remember we couldn't find some of the things we left in -the playhouse the other day. I believe these fellows took them, and -thought they could pass themselves off as some of my guests and ransack -all the rooms in the house." - -"They did it," said Marmaduke Midchester. "And they must have got away -by one of the back doors while we were all here at the front." - -"Do you suppose they've gone back to the cove?" asked Lanky. "They might -have. They didn't know we were following them." - -"That's an idea," agreed Fitzhugh. He spoke to the butler, and in a few -minutes the chauffeur and two other men were receiving instructions to -take the car and drive to the cove, look for the men, and if they were -not to be found there to drive on to Barmouth and report the thefts to -the police. - -"And now, my friends," Fitzhugh added to his guests, "let us have -dinner. Master Ben's two pals must need sustenance after their long -tramp. Come, the soup will be getting cold." - -They were still at the dinner table when a motor horn sounded outside. -Everyone ran to the door. It was not Fitzhugh's car, however, but a much -smaller one. From it descended David, John Tuckerman and Mr. Perkins. - -"Well, I declare," exclaimed Tuckerman, "here's Tom and Larry! And that -fellow in doublet and hose--why, I do believe that's Benjamin Sully!" - - - - - XV--VARIOUS CLUES - - -John Tuckerman and David and Mr. Perkins went up on the porch, where Ben -introduced them to Roderick Fitzhugh. Fitzhugh, after shaking hands -cordially with each of them, bowed toward his house-guests. "My -friends," said he, "we have the pleasure of welcoming the worthy Chief -Counsellor of Camp Amoussock, and Mr. Tuckerman, who is the owner of -famous Cotterell Hall on Cotterell's Island in the harbor of Barmouth, -and Mr. David Norton--, er, Ben, what is the best way to describe your -good-looking friend?" - -"The best batter in New England," piped up Lanky Larry. "I ought to -know. He knocked me out of the box." - -"Thank you," said Fitzhugh in his amusingly formal manner. "Mr. David -Norton, the famous Yankee slugger." He turned to the three new arrivals. -"Gentlemen, let me present you to my friends," and he called out the -names, beginning with Maid Rosalind and the other ladies and ending with -Sir Marmaduke Midchester. - -Tuckerman laughed. "I'd no idea Ben mixed in such high-sounding company. -What is he?--Sir Marmaduke's squire?" - -"He's the apprentice to an armorer," said Fitzhugh. "Incidentally he was -mistaken this evening for a robber." - -Then Fitzhugh told the story of the robbery, including the adventure of -Tom and Larry with the men from the cove. - -"Those men must be the three that belonged to the fishing-smack," said -David. "I thought there was something crooked going on. That's -it--they're a gang of thieves." - -David related his adventure, and then Mr. Perkins told how he and -Tuckerman and the boys from the camp hunted for the three missing -fellows. "We drove in here on the chance that you might know something -about them," he said to Fitzhugh. "We came straight up the road from the -cove, but we didn't see any men answering the description of the -thieves." - -"Well," said Fitzhugh, "we'll get the police on their track, and I'll -telephone down to Gosport to have the people there keep an eye out for -that fishing-boat. And now won't you come in and let me offer you some -refreshments? Master Ben will want to change his clothes before he sets -out in his racing-car." - -While the others were in the dining-room Ben exchanged his doublet and -hose for his everyday garb. Then he went to the garage and got out the -little car he had borrowed from his uncle in Barmouth. It clattered up -to the front door and a few minutes later Fitzhugh was saying good-night -to Tuckerman, Perkins and the boys. - -David got into Ben's car. The car from Camp Amoussock moved off along -the driveway. Roderick Fitzhugh came up to Ben, who was starting his -engine. "I regret that Mr. Joseph Hastings wasn't at home," he said, "so -that you could have learned whether he did lose a silver snuff-box on -Cotterell's Island. I'll ask him when I see him." - -Ben grinned. "I'd almost forgotten about the snuff-box," he answered, -"but I think you'll find when you ask Mr. Hastings that he did lose it -there." - -"You're a bright fellow, Master Sully." - -Fitzhugh gave a wink. "Don't tell all you know. And if you're in the -neighborhood any time come in and see Joseph Hastings." - -The little car rattled away, following the tail-light of the other -automobile. - -"Who is that man?" asked David, as they turned into the highroad. - -"Do you mean Mr. Roderick Fitzhugh?" inquired Ben innocently. - -"Chuck it, Benjie. That isn't his real name." - -"Why isn't it, smartie?" - -"Roderick Fitzhugh! Marmaduke Midchester!" David repeated the names of -some of the other people he had met at the Gables. "Stuff and nonsense, -Benjie! They made them up." - -Ben said nothing, and after a few minutes David began again. - -"Where'd they get those clothes?" - -"Where do people usually get their clothes? Tailors and dressmakers made -them, I suppose." - -"What are they? A crowd of actors?" - -Ben smiled. "They're not professional actors. They're doing a play that -Mr. Fitzhugh wrote for the moving-pictures, and they like their costumes -so much they keep them on most of the time. I'm in the pictures," he -added in a tone of pride. - -The car clattered loudly over a rough stretch of road. Then David -resumed his questions. "How in thunder did you happen to get mixed up -with them?" - -"I was driving along this morning and I met Mr. Fitzhugh and he -suggested that we go on a hunt for hooked-rugs." - -"Hooked-rugs!" exploded David. - -"Yes. They don't grow on trees. They're to be found in the cottages -around here. We caught some fine specimens." - -David put his hand on Ben's knee. "It was time we rescued you from that -fellow, my boy," he said. "I don't know anything about hooked-rugs, but -I think your Mr. Fitzhugh has bats in his belfry." - -The car driven by Mr. Perkins had stopped, and Ben brought his own noisy -equipage to a standstill at the side of the road. "We're going to have -another look at the cove," said Tuckerman. "We can't drive in through -the woods." - -But the cove, when they reached it by the path through the woods, was as -deserted as it had been when the boys from Camp Amoussock explored it -earlier in the evening. Lanky and Tom pointed out the dory, still -beached on the shingle, in which the three men had come ashore, and the -shack in which they had kept the costumes. "I think the dory is pretty -good proof that they didn't come back here," said Tom. "I guess they -must have made off toward Gosport, to join the fishing-smack somewhere -in that neighborhood." - -They returned to the two cars and drove on to Camp Amoussock. There Tom -and John Tuckerman embarked in the _Argo_ to sail back to Cotterell's -Island, while Ben and David continued their clattering ride to Barmouth. - -At Barmouth, Ben restored the car to his uncle, and the two boys went -down to the harbor and launched the canoe. Over the placid water they -paddled easily, for they were old hands at handling a canoe together. -And presently they landed at the island, and found the other two sitting -on the pier. - -There was much to talk over, and none of them were sleepy. They sat on -the bank above the beach and swapped adventures. "I've been wondering," -said Tom, "whether there was any connection between the men who stole -those things at Mr. Fitzhugh's house and the men I saw here on the -island last night." - -"And the gigantic footprints," said David. "I've been thinking about -that, too. But how would you explain the lady's handkerchief, with the -initials A. S. L.?" - -They argued about that for some time before they went to bed. Ben, -however, took little part in the discussion. He was trying to find a -reason for the discovery of the silver snuff-box that Joseph Hastings -had bought in Barmouth in the chest hidden in the cliff. - -Next morning Ben went with Tuckerman to Cotterell Hall. "What do you -make of it, Ben?" said Tuckerman. "We don't seem to be any nearer to -finding the treasure than we were when we first came here. I know you've -got some theory in that wise head of yours." - -Ben walked up and down the living-room. "Well," he answered slowly, "I -think somebody has mixed up the trails. Let's see how the matter stands. -We know that your Uncle Christopher thought there was a secret. We found -that out from the note in the frame of the picture." - -"Uncle Christopher knew there was a secret," agreed Tuckerman. "I think -that's very clear." - -Ben nodded. "What did we find next? Those jottings your uncle made in -his notebook." Ben stopped at the secretary, took out the notebook, -turned to the marked page, and read aloud. "'As regards the saying that -the hiding-place is just beyond the three pines that stand between two -rocks where the sun goes down, I have scoured and scoured the island, -and come to the opinion that the extreme southwestern point must be the -place intended, although to-day there are only two pines there. I have -dug at this place, but found only sand.' That's what your uncle wrote. -But he didn't find the treasure at the southwestern point." - -Tuckerman smiled. "So far so good." - -Ben ran his eye down the page. "Now we come to this. 'Find the -mahogany-hued man with the long, skinny legs and look in his breast -pocket. That's a saying my father handed down. What can it mean?' Well, -it seems to me that's where the trails begin to get mixed." - -"Why, I thought we decided that referred to the mahogany secretary," -said Tuckerman. - -"So we did," answered Ben. "But were we right? Let's see. We looked in -the secretary and found a piece of parchment with half a message on it. -We couldn't make out much from that. Then I read this in the notebook." -He turned again to the page, "'I've heard that the old clipper ship got -some of the cargo that the mahogany man carried. But if she did, what -use is that to us now? She sailed out of Barmouth Harbor during the -Revolution.'" - -"I've always thought you were mighty clever in finding that model of the -clipper ship up in the attic," said Tuckerman. - -"Well," agreed Ben, "I'm not denying that I was pretty well pleased with -that myself. But what did we learn? That James Sampson took a box to the -north cliff, meaning to put it on a boat, but found that there were some -people off shore in another boat and so hid the box in the rocks, and -that the rocks were marked like a cross. Very good. We found the place -and we found a box there. But there wasn't anything very valuable in the -box when we found it." - -"That's so," Tuckerman assented. "But I don't see any other clue to the -treasure." - -Ben was staring through the window at the trees glistening in the -sunlight. "I think that box was hidden in the cliff since we've been on -the island," he said reflectively, "and I don't believe that any of the -things in it ever came from Cotterell Hall." - -"You don't!" exclaimed Tuckerman. - -"And that means," continued Ben, who was following the line of his own -thoughts, "that somebody was trying to set us on a wrong trail by hiding -those two pieces of parchment in this house." - -"But what object would anyone have in doing that?" Tuckerman asked. "I -can't see any good reason for their taking so much trouble." He -considered this idea for several minutes, while Ben continued his study -of the trees and the glimpse of blue water that was to be seen from the -window. - -"And we thought we'd kept the problem of the Cotterell treasure pretty -much a secret," Tuckerman said presently. - -"Gigantic footprints, lady's handkerchief, men prowling about the house -in the dark." Ben chuckled softly. "That doesn't look as if we had the -island much to ourselves, does it?" - -"No," Tuckerman admitted. "We haven't kept up the Cotterell tradition -for exclusiveness." - -"Well," said Ben, "if somebody has been trying to set us on a wrong -trail, the question is was it the giant, the lady, or the -night-prowlers? Or did the three belong to one party." - -"The lady is a stumbling-block," nodded Tuckerman. - -"If there were two parties," said Ben, turning around, "my own opinion -is that it's the giant and the lady who've been making game of us." - -"Benjamin, what are you driving at?" - -For answer Ben laughed. "Never mind, Professor. If I should tell you -what's in my mind, and it shouldn't prove to be true, think how flat I'd -feel. And now I think it's time we went back to camp if we're going in -swimming before dinner." - -Just before sunset that afternoon the chug of a motor-boat broke the -stillness of the water around the island. The boat stole up to the -landing-stage and two men got out. They went up the walk toward -Cotterell Hall. "A beautiful mansion, Marmaduke," said the man in the -white flannel suit to the one in brown jacket and knickerbockers. - -"I agree with you, Roderick," said the other. "I suppose you would like -to pick it up and carry it off to the Gables." - -"Not at all. But what is to prevent us from making use of it here? Sir -Peter Cotterell defying the people of Barmouth." Roderick Fitzhugh -pointed in this direction and that, talking eagerly, until his companion -interrupted him with a whispered, "They're coming up in their sailboat." - -The _Argo_ touched the landing-stage, and Fitzhugh and his friend went -out on the pier. "Hello, lads," cried Fitzhugh. "We came out to take a -look at the famous island Ben told us about." - -"Did you learn anything about the thieves?" Tom called from the _Argo_. - -"No, not yet. But we've got the local police scouring the country. I -don't expect much from them," added Fitzhugh. "What I hope is that the -rascals will make us another call." - -"We've been fishing," said Ben. "Hope you'll stay to supper." - -"Well," said Fitzhugh, "I've got my guests at the Gables." - -"You wouldn't take any excuse from me yesterday," Ben retorted. "Turn -about's fair play. You've never tasted Dave's fried flounder." - -"That's so, we haven't," said Marmaduke Midchester. "I vote to stay." - -They had supper on the beach, and afterwards Ben urged Midchester to -sing the song he had written. - -"Oh, Master Ben," Fitzhugh protested, "why break in on the evening -calm?" - -"Go ahead," said Tom. "We'd all like some music." - -"Music?" echoed Fitzhugh. "Who said anything about music? Well, if -you're determined to have him commit the crime, on your own heads be -it!" - -Midchester, who was a big man, stood up and sang in a deep bass, a song -about a knight who loved a lady but who rode off to the wars. It had a -spirited chorus, with many gestures, such as drawing a sword, waving a -hand, and shaking a knight's banner. By the time that Midchester sang -the second chorus all the others were up, singing loudly and imitating -his motions. It ended in a final loud cheer that could be heard at least -a mile away. - -"That's better than I expected," said Fitzhugh. "See, it scared the -geese." - -He pointed to the western sky, across which a distant triangle of wild -geese were flying. - -"Now," said Tuckerman, "I will give you a song of the sea as sung in the -prairie schooners of the west." - -He had a good voice, and his song was so popular that he had to give an -encore. Afterwards Fitzhugh said that he must take Midchester away or he -would break out again. - -Good-nights were exchanged on the pier and the motor-boat headed south. - -"Well," said Tuckerman, "they're a good pair of scouts. I don't suppose -this island has heard so much noise since old Sir Peter's day. I like -guests myself. And as there doesn't seem any likelihood of finding the -Cotterell treasure, I don't see why we shouldn't keep open house." - -"Oh, we haven't given up hope of finding it, have we?" asked Tom. - -"Benjie hasn't," said David. - -They all looked at the black-haired boy. - -"Why, of course, I haven't," he answered calmly. "And the more people -who come out here to look for it, the more chance we have of finding it, -I think. You don't suppose Fitzhugh and Midchester came here just to see -us, do you?" - -"I bet they did," said Tom. - -"I bet they didn't," said Ben. "They took us in as a side-show on their -way to the big tent." - - - - - XVI--THE CAMPERS CALL AT BARMOUTH - - -The _Argo_ was scudding along in a good breeze to Barmouth. Ben was -carving a small piece of wood into what he fancied was a resemblance to -a mermaid. David, his hands clasped behind his head, lounged in a -comfortable corner. Tuckerman was at the tiller, and Tom surveyed his -pupil through approving eyes. - -"Professor, I think we're ready to give you your diploma," Tom said, as -he noticed the easy manner in which Tuckerman handled the sailboat. -"You're an able seaman. I'll give you an honor mark as a navigator." - -"And I'll pass you as a first-rate cook," said David, turning and -nodding his head. "You fried those eggs this morning just as well as I -could have, and praise can't be higher than that." - -"You coax the fish right out of the sea," said Ben, looking up from his -carving. "There was a time when I didn't believe you'd ever learn to -bait a hook so the fish couldn't nibble it off; but you can do it now. -I'll graduate you as a competent fisherman." - -"And my swimming?" asked Tuckerman, his eye on the water curling over -the bow. - -"Well, as to that," said David, "you're not exactly a merman, but you -can paddle along at a decent pace. Yes, we'll call you a swimmer. I -should say you were a pretty good all-around fellow now, Professor." - -Tuckerman looked pleased. Praise from these three boys was very -satisfying. And he knew that what they said was not mere idle banter. He -had learned a great deal since he had been camping with them. - -"Thanks," he said. "To be able to sail a boat, to cook, to fish, to -swim--why, that's more than I ever expected to learn when I came here -from the west. I tell you what! It was a great thing for me when I -decided to take a look at my Uncle Christopher's island." - -"And what are you going to do with it now that you've seen it?" asked -Tom. - -"I don't know. I've got to go back to my home. I don't suppose anyone -would want to live way out in the harbor nowadays. There's not enough to -do there. But I hate to take all those fine old furnishings out of the -house. They belong there, and they don't belong anywhere else." - -"There's an old house out on the Boston road," said Ben, "that the owner -keeps up as a sort of a museum. He has all the old furniture that was -used in colonial days. There's a great deal of travel on that road in -summer, and he charges a quarter for every person that goes over the -house. There's a care-taker, of course. I think she serves tea for a -quarter extra." - -"That's an idea," said Tuckerman. "Only my house isn't on a main road. -It's a rather hard place to reach." - -"All the better," put in Tom. "People like excursions. We could put up -signs in Barmouth and all along the road. 'Be sure to take the boat to -famous Cotterell Hall on Cotterell's Island and hunt for the treasure!' -That would get them all right. You could charge as much as you like." - -"And Tom could run a ferry, and Ben be the care-taker and serve -ginger-ale at a dollar a glass," suggested David. - -"And you could cork your face and be the famous mahogany man from the -Barbadoes," retorted Ben. "He's a wonder in a minstrel show, Professor." - -"It sounds good," Tuckerman agreed. "It's certainly up-to-date. But -somehow I don't feel that it's quite dignified enough for Cotterell -Hall." - -"You can make it dignified enough," said Tom, "by charging enormous -prices." - -Tuckerman laughed. "You're right. You fellows are Yankees sure enough. -You make me feel like a greenhorn." - -"And think of the business it would bring to Barmouth," said Ben, -putting the attempt at a mermaid into his pocket and sitting up -straight. "People who went to the island would probably have to spend -the night at the hotel. Why, you ought to be able to make a deal with -the proprietor to share his profits." - -"Ben's started now," exclaimed David. "Stop him somebody quick, or he'll -be spending the money we're making from the concern." - -"I think it's a great idea," Ben proceeded, as usual paying no attention -to David's jibe. "It'll put Barmouth on the map. 'Cotterell Hall, the -most famous treasure house on the Atlantic Coast!'" - -"I wish you wouldn't use that word 'treasure,'" Tom protested. "It has a -hoodoo sound." - -"And speaking of putting things on the map," said Tuckerman, "here's the -wharf ahead. Don't get me all excited while I bring her up to the dock." - -The _Argo_ made a perfect landing. "Good enough," said Tom. "That -couldn't have been done better. Professor, you're a dandy." - -They went up the main street and turned off to the elm-shaded lane where -the Halletts lived. They were going to call on Milly Hallett. - -Milly was at home. She was, in fact, enjoying an afternoon nap in the -Nantucket hammock on the side porch when Tom spied her from the lane. - -The sound of footsteps woke her, and seeing who was coming in at the -gate she swung her feet down from the hammock, smoothed her rumpled -skirt, and patted her fluffy hair. And because she still felt a trifle -piqued that Tom was having all the fun of camping on Cotterell's Island, -she decided on the spur of the moment to be a little standoffish with -the callers. - -"Hello, Milly," said her brother, in the offhand way brothers have, "we -thought we'd come over to see how you were getting along." - -"Good afternoon, Mr. Tuckerman," said Milly, standing up and giving that -gentleman the tips of her fingers. "I hope the boys are looking after -you all right on your island." - -"I can't complain," smiled Tuckerman. "We do as well as we can, without -any ladies to help us." - -"Won't you sit down?" Milly invited politely. - -Tuckerman took a chair, and the three boys, impressed in spite of -themselves by Milly's society manner, perched on the rail of the porch. - -"We were wondering," said Tuckerman, "whether we could induce you to -come out to supper on the island. We hoped the simplicity of the meal -would be atoned for by the beauty of the scenery. I can promise you a -fine sunset." - -"Thank you for the invitation." Milly swung gently back and forth. "Let -me see--what did I have on hand for this evening?" - -"Oh, chuck it, Milly!" said Tom. "Of course you want to come along." - -"I remember now," said Milly suavely. "I have a date with my friend -Sarah Hooper. There's a new movie in town." - -"Well, of course," said Tuckerman in a regretful tone, "we can't compete -with a new moving-picture show." - -Milly smiled. "The boys are still giving you plenty of good food, are -they? And keeping you amused?" - -David moved impatiently on his perch. "The Professor never got better -food anywhere. He says so himself." - -"I thought perhaps the menu might get a little tiresome," Milly -suggested sweetly. "Boys are so apt to stick to one or two of the same -things when they have to cook for themselves." - -"We don't," grunted David. - -"She knows we don't," said Tom. "I say, Milly, what's your game?" - -"Game?" Milly wrinkled her pretty nose. "I don't know what you mean!" -She glanced again at Tuckerman. "Boys are funny creatures, aren't they?" - -The boys came down from the rail with one accord. Indignant replies were -on the tongues of each; but Milly pointed beyond them at the lane. "Here -comes Sarah Hooper now," she said. "It's just possible I can get her to -change our date." - -Up the path came the black-eyed girl, a yellow sweater on her arm. -"Hello, everybody!" she sang out, as she reached the porch. "What is it? -An experience meeting?" - -"They want me to go to supper with them on Mr. Tuckerman's island," said -Milly. "I told them I had a date with you." - -"Perhaps Miss Sarah Hooper will join the party," Tuckerman added -promptly. "We'd like her to." - -"Fine!" exclaimed Sarah. "I don't know why I shouldn't." - -"Milly said," put in Tom, "that you and she were going to a new movie." - -A glance passed from Sarah to Milly, and Sarah nodded her head. "That's -so," she agreed. "I do remember we were." - -"However," said Milly, "if Sally would really like to accept your -invitation, we can go to the movies some other time." - -There was a pause, for Sarah was not sure what her friend wanted her to -say; and then Ben broke the silence by pounding the porch-rail with his -fist. "By jiminy, girls are funny creatures, aren't they? They're crazy -to come, but they don't want to admit it." - -"Oh!" began Milly. But Tuckerman interposed. - -"The funnier people are, the pleasanter it is to be with them. We do -need the company of ladies on our island. We've only been seeing each -other, and sandpipers and gulls. It would be doing us a great favor if -these two ladies would come and freshen us up." - -"Well," said Sarah, charmed by this gallant speech, "I'd be glad to -come. It'll be a perfect evening." - -Milly got up from the hammock. "I'll contribute a box of fudge." - -"That's all that's needed to make it complete," said Tuckerman. - -The girls went indoors, Milly to tell her mother about the party, and -Sarah to telephone to her house. - -"Now," said Tuckerman, on the porch, "we've got to give them as good a -time as they'd have had at the movies." - -"Milly wanted to come all along," said Tom. "Why didn't she say so?" - -"I think," answered Ben, "that she wanted to show us that she was having -just as good a time here at home as we were having in camp; and she knew -she wasn't." - -Tuckerman smiled and nodded. "Ben's hit it on the head. And that's all -the more reason why we should see that they enjoy themselves this -evening." - -They all agreed to that line of reasoning, and the first result of it -was that they suggested to Milly that she should sail the _Argo_ back to -the island. She was very much pleased, and Milly, on her mettle, handled -the craft as skillfully as Tom could have done himself. - -They landed, and Sarah said that she would like to see the island, since -all she had seen of it on her first visit had been Cotterell Hall and -the shore about the camp. So the boys and Tuckerman took their guests on -a regular tour, through the woods, where the russet-green pine-needles -made a clean and fragrant carpet, dappled with patches of sunlight; -along the little beaches, curves of yellow sand, where sandpipers played -and strutted, or flew in silver bands; up on the ramparts of cliffs, -against which the waves rolled in and slipped and slid in white cascades -over the low-lying ledges, and so to the southern point, where they -watched the sun setting in all its glory, tinting the sky and the sea in -wonderful combinations of shifting colors. - -Then they went to the camp, where David made a marvelous fish chowder of -cunners and cod that Ben had caught that morning. And for dessert they -had apple fritters and Milly's home-made fudge. - -When it was time to take their guests back to Barmouth, Tom suggested -that they sail around the island. As they cruised up the ocean side they -saw a sail to the east. And after watching the distant boat intently for -some minutes David exclaimed, "I think that's the fishing-smack that -took me from the cove to Gosport!" - -Tom shifted the tiller, and the _Argo_ took a course toward the larger -boat. As they sailed, David, in answer to Milly's questions, told of his -adventure with the crew of the smack. - -To the northeast lay a small island, and the larger boat sailed around -its southern point. The _Argo_ kept up its chase, and presently came on -the fishing-smack at anchor off a half-moon beach. - -The big boat stood silhouetted against the violet sky of the summer -night. It was too dark to distinguish figures on her deck. Apparently -she had come to anchor there for the night. - -"How about it, Dave?" asked Ben. "Is that the craft that kidnapped you?" - -"Looks like her picture," was the answer. - -"Want to hail your good friend Sam?" inquired Tom. - -"No, I don't," said David. "He might throw something out here that the -girls wouldn't like." - -"Oh, don't mind us," exclaimed Milly and Sarah in chorus. - -"I don't know what the smack--if it is Dave's boat--is doing around -here," said Tuckerman. "There can't be much to steal from that island." - -For a time the _Argo_ bobbed about, but there came no hail from the -boat, no light appeared, she might have been a ship without a crew. - -"Let sleeping hornets lie," Tuckerman advised. And at the suggestion Tom -sheered away. The _Argo_ sailed up the shore of the island and pointed -her bow toward the twinkling lights of the town. - -They were all enjoying the breeze, the star-sprinkled sky, the soft -swish of the water against the side of the boat when Ben, from a brown -study, spoke. "If the men on that smack are the thieves who broke into -Mr. Fitzhugh's house, might they be hunting around here for the -Cotterell treasure?" - -"Well, I wish them luck at finding it," said David. - -"Thieves who broke into Mr. Fitzhugh's house!" cried Milly. "Oh, do tell -us about that!" - -Then the whole story came out, and when she had heard it all Milly said -positively, "I think Ben's right. They're planning to steal something -from your island." - -"Hope they don't take our cooking outfit," said Tom. - -"Or any of my fine old colonial furniture," added Tuckerman. - -"Oh, no," scoffed David. "It's the treasure they're after." - -"Don't you want to take our watch-dog back with you?" said Sarah. "He's -fine at biting tramps." - -There was a laugh from the crowd. And they were still talking of ways of -protecting the island from prowlers when the sailboat ran up to the -wharf. - -The campers escorted the girls to their homes and then went back to the -harbor. - -On the waterfront they encountered a man--he had been a sea-captain in -his day--smoking a pipe and regarding the lights of the harbor. He knew -the boys. "Hello, Tom," he said, "I hear you're out on the island, -hunting for Sir Peter's treasure." - -"Well, we're camping on the island," Tom admitted. - -"Haven't found the treasure yet, have you?" The mariner chuckled. -"There's treasure hid all along the coast, if you believe the stories. I -was brought up on yarns about treasures, Captain Kidd's and others. And -I've hunted for 'em, too. But I never laid my hands on none. Howsomever, -I always thought there might be something to the story about Sir Peter. -But it's one thing to think there's a treasure, and another to lay hands -on it." - -"Where would you look?" asked Ben. - -The mariner reflected. "Well, if I was hiding a treasure I'd put it -where I could get it if I wanted it in a hurry. Seems to me I'd pick out -a place in the chimney-breast. I've heard of folks hiding things in -places like that." - -"Seems to me we've got to pull the house down," said David. "And then -like as not we wouldn't find it." - -"Might be so," the mariner agreed. "It don't pay to take too much -trouble hunting for things like that. But some people just have to." - -The four embarked in the _Argo_. "Ben's one of the people that just have -to," said David. "I guess he'll pull the house down." - -"I hadn't thought of the chimney-breast," said Ben. "We'd better look -there to-morrow." - -"Go to it, Tige," laughed David. "We'll get out the pick-ax and -crow-bar." - - - - - XVII--PETER COTTERELL - - -Next morning the four campers, following the suggestion made by the -sea-captain on the Barmouth wharf, resumed their search for the -Cotterell treasure. David treated the whole matter as a joke; he thought -that either the story about Sir Peter having hidden his silver plate was -a legend without any foundation in fact, or that one of the family had -found the treasure and disposed of it. Tom leaned to the same opinion, -although he did not say so as openly as did David, perhaps because he -saw that both John Tuckerman and Ben thought the treasure was yet to be -found. Ben was still as positive as ever, and argued that if Sir Peter's -plate had ever been discovered that fact would certainly have been -mentioned in Crusty Christopher's notebooks. - -They examined the chimney-breast in the kitchen and dining-room, looking -for any possible hiding-place. They went all over the house again, -looking for any secret door or panel that they might have missed before. -They tapped the walls and they measured them; but nowhere could they -figure out such a place as they were hunting. Finally Tuckerman said, "I -don't see how we can search anywhere else, unless we do as Dave -suggested--pull the house down--and I don't want to do that." - -"The house is worth more than the treasure," said Tom. - -"That's so," Tuckerman agreed. He frowned and bit his lip. "I don't like -to be stumped, that's the long and short of it. I don't like to admit -that I can't work out the puzzle." - -"Puzzles never bother me," said David. "I think they're stupid things. I -never want to know the answer to any of the problems in the algebra -books. What good does it do you to know them? Of course some people get -so hipped over knowing the answers they can't eat till they find them -out--whether a dog or a rabbit will reach a given point first, things -like that, or about men rowing a boat against the tide; but they don't -get me the least little bit excited. Leave them to Benjie, I say." - -And that was what they did. They left Ben up in the attic, the last room -they had searched. Attics fascinated Ben. In a way they were like -puzzles; there were so many odds and ends that needed putting together. -He walked idly about, looking at chairs and tables that had lost some of -their legs, at statuettes that were broken and disfigured, until he came -to the window that opened to the east. There he stopped in a brown -study. - -A distant sail caught his eye. It reminded him of something. Oh, yes, -from the window he could see the line of the little island where they -had found the fishing-smack at anchor the night before. He couldn't tell -if this sail belonged to the smack; it was too far away; but the sight -of it started a train of thought he had been working over that morning. - -He went downstairs and was glad to find that the others had left the -house. In the living-room he took the two pieces of parchment from the -drawer of the secretary and carefully copied the writing on them on a -large sheet of paper. This he laid on the lid of the desk and put an -inkstand on the paper. Then he returned the pieces of parchment to the -drawer. - -Satisfied with this, he went outdoors and crossed the island to the -beach where he had found the chest. He sat on a log, and waited -patiently. Presently he saw a sail, to the east; and this time he felt -fairly sure that it was the same fishing-smack that they had chased the -previous night. - -He jumped up and began to burrow in the crevice between the rocks. He -did not attempt to pull the chest out; it was too heavy for him to do -that unaided; but he kicked his heels and pushed himself in. And after a -while he pushed himself out again and stood up. Looking at the smack, he -decided that she was near enough for anyone on her deck to have -witnessed his strange performance. - -The next step in his plan came when the dishes had been washed after -dinner. He proposed that they should sail over to the little island and -see if the smack was still in the neighborhood. - -"After the thieves, are you?" asked David. "Now see here, my lad, if we -should find them, what then? Are you going to step aboard and tell them -they're arrested?" - -"Dave's had enough of his friend Sam," said Tom. "He thinks if Sam meets -him again he'll get a belaying-pin on the back of his head." - -"Benjie wants to argue with them," said David. "I'll admit I'd like to -get square with the rascal, but I don't see how we can do it that way." - -"If Dave's sure it's the same boat," suggested Tom, "we might notify the -police at Barmouth." - -"Well," said Ben, "the only way to make sure that Dave's right is to -sail around and look at her in daylight." - -"That sounds sensible," Tuckerman agreed. "We needn't get into any kind -of a scrap with them." - -So the _Argo_ set sail and cruised eastward; but although she rounded -the other island several times that afternoon her crew caught no sight -of the bark they were looking for. - -When they got back to their own island they found Lanky Larry and Bill -Crawford fishing from the pier. The canoe in which they had paddled over -from Camp Amoussock floated at the landing-stage. - -"If you're after cunners," said Ben, "you ought to try the rocks on the -ocean side; if it's flounders you're trying to tempt you won't find them -near the pier." - -"We didn't really come over here to fish," responded Bill, "but we -always carry a couple of lines in the canoe; that is, when it doesn't -upset. We came over to invite you four fellows to the water sports -to-morrow morning. We've got a fine program, and you can enter any of -the events when you get there." - -"I guess the Professor will want to enter the tub-race," said Tom with a -grin. - -"Maybe I will," agreed Tuckerman. "Well, mates, how about it? The -invitation sounds very good to me." - -Tom and David both nodded and said they would like to go. "You'd better -count me out of it," said Ben. "I've got a date for to-morrow." - -"Date?" inquired Tom. "What sort of a date? With a lady or a man?" - -"A date with myself." Ben looked a trifle embarrassed. "I've got -something on hand I meant to do in the morning." - -"Shucks!" exclaimed David. "All right, Bill, we'll be over right after -breakfast. And we'll bring Benjie along. You might enter him in the -fancy diving contest." - -Bill and Lanky pulled in their fishing-lines and embarked in their -canoe. The campers started to get supper. But Ben, making an excuse that -he thought he must have mislaid his pocket-knife in the house, hurried -through the woods to the beach at the northern end. So far as he could -see no one had been there since he had left in the morning; the chest -was still in the crevice between the rocks. - -That evening Ben prowled about the island. He went to Cotterell Hall, he -went to the beach at the north again, he kept a watchful eye for sails -in any quarter. When he came back to camp the other three had turned in. -And being very sleepy, he followed their example. - -He was up at dawn next morning, and again made his rounds. The paper he -had placed on the lid of the secretary was apparently untouched, the -chest was still in the crevice. Breakfast was waiting when he returned. -"Now, Benjie," said David, "get busy with the bacon. We're going over to -Camp Amoussock, and we want you to show those fellows your famous -flip-flap." - -"You go along without me," Ben urged. - -"No, sir," said David. "This is a sporting proposition, and it's up to -every man to do his bit." - -So Ben went along with the others. - -All of Camp Amoussock was in bathing-suits, and the four guests were -shortly attired likewise. Then began all sorts of water sports. Tom and -David and Ben went in for most of the swimming races and the diving -contests. Tom took second place in the fifty-yard race, and Ben won the -competition for fancy diving. When they came to the tub-race John -Tuckerman entered his name. - -Amid shouts and cat-calls a dozen tubs set out from the float. The race -was to be around a buoy and back to the starting-place. Tuckerman -paddled easily, keeping his tub out of the course most of the others -were taking. Two tubs jostled, and two boys were upset into the water. -Bill Crawford rounded the buoy first, then a small, red-headed boy who -sat very still, barely patting the water with careful finger-tips. - -"Here comes the Professor!" cried Tom from the beach. "Keep it up, keep -it up, Professor! You're doing wonders!" - -Tuckerman reached the buoy. He had found it fairly easy to keep a -straight course, but now he had to steer to the left. To do this he -tried to give a sidewise sweep with his foot. The tub rocked, rolled. He -attempted to counter-balance; and then he was in the water, splashing -about and trying to get hold of the tub. - -He flopped up on one side, only to slip over on the other. The tub might -have been greased, so difficult was it to make the round thing stay in -one position for more than a minute. At last he gave up trying to make -it behave, and swam, pushing it before him, until he could touch bottom -with his feet. - -"Never mind, Professor," said David, as the bedraggled Tuckerman walked -up on the beach. "Many a man has found a tub-race his Waterloo." - -There were cheers from the float, and all turned to look. Bill Crawford -and the red-headed boy were now neck and neck. Someone shouted, "Now's -your time to spurt, Bill!" - -Bill spurted. His tub lost its balance; Bill somersaulted backward into -the water. The red-headed boy just managed to avoid Bill's splashing and -paddled along more cautiously than ever, hardly touching the water now, -just directing his course with his fingers and toes. - -Up to the float he came. He grasped the edge, and a moment later the boy -and the tub were on the float, and the race was won. - -"The Tortoise wins!" cried Lanky. "Good old Tortoise! He may be slow, -but he gets there away ahead of the Hare." - -Then came dinner, and then the _Argo_ set sail again. "Now, Benjie," -said David, "you can keep that date you were telling us about. My word, -but you look impatient." - -Ben was impatient. He sat in the bow, keeping a lookout for a certain -sail. - -There were no boats to be seen, however, nearer than a three-masted -schooner that moved like a pasteboard ship along the rim of the horizon. -The _Argo_ appeared to have that part of the off-shore ocean entirely to -herself, and except for the swish of the water against her side there -was no noise to break the quiet of the summer afternoon. - -The island stood out in its shades of green against the brilliant blue -sky. The house was a patch of white as the sailboat drew up to the pier. -The landing made, the four campers went ashore. Ben started up the path -toward the house, and the others, as people are apt to do when someone -leads the way, followed without any definite object in mind. - -Ben had almost reached the front steps when the door of Cotterell Hall -opened. He stopped in surprise; and so did the other three. - -A man in colonial costume, buff-colored coat and breeches, with a -three-cornered hat in his hand, stepped out at the front door. - -The man made a bow and held out his hat in a gesture of welcome. "I give -you a good-day, gentlemen," he said. "What fortunate chance brings you -to Peter Cotterell's door?" - -Tuckerman took it on himself to answer. Returning the bow, he said, "The -good ship _Argo_ has brought four adventurers to your island, worthy -sir. We trust we do not trespass." - -The gentleman in buff stood with his hat at his hip. "You're not from -the town of Barmouth?" he asked. - -"Oh, no," said Tuckerman, and added, "Your island looked so inviting -that we made bold to come ashore." - -"I'm glad you're not from Barmouth," said the gentleman. "I have no -stomach for those folks, rebels against His Britannic Majesty's lawful -government. To visitors such as you my island and my house are always -open. Will you come in and refresh yourselves?" - -"You are very good, Sir Peter," said Tuckerman, with a smile. - -"Why do you call me 'Sir Peter'?" - -"I understood that was your title." - -The gentleman frowned. "I believe that some of the rebels call me that, -because of my loyalty to the King of England. However, it is an -honorable title. I have no objection. Yes," he added, "you may call me -Sir Peter. I like the sound." - -"Well then, Sir Peter," said Tuckerman, "I think we'll accept your -invitation with the greatest pleasure." - -The gentleman on the step stood aside, and the four marched into the -house. Sir Peter indicated a room on the left. They went into the large -drawing-room, and Ben, casting a hasty glance at the secretary, saw that -the paper he had placed on the lid was still there. - -"Be seated," said Sir Peter. He stood for a moment near the portrait on -the wall, and the campers saw how much his face and figure and the cut -of his clothes resembled those of the man in the picture. He caught -their eyes comparing him with the portrait. "Yes, my picture," he said. -"It's considered a rather fair likeness." And he added deprecatingly, -"Of course no one can ever judge a likeness of himself." - -He pulled a bell-rope that hung by the big fireplace. "I can offer you a -glass of negus," he continued. "Something unusual, that I get from the -Barbadoes." - -A moment later a dark-skinned servant--mahogany-hued in fact--came into -the room and received his master's orders. - -"Will any of you take snuff?" asked Sir Peter, when the servant had -withdrawn. He produced a small silver snuff-box from his waistcoat -pocket. - -He passed the snuff-box, but each of his guests declined. Ben, looking -up with a grin, asked, "Does your servant come from the Barbadoes, Sir -Peter?" - -"Why yes, he does." Sir Peter helped himself to a pinch of snuff, then -dusted his coat with a fine cambric handkerchief. "An excellent servant, -too. Indeed, I am much pleased with all my service, from my steward -James Sampson down." - -"James Sampson!" exclaimed Ben, his eyes dancing. "Where have I heard -that name before?" - -At this point the servant reappeared, bearing a lacquered tray on which -were five glasses and a decanter. He set the tray on a table, and as Sir -Peter filled the glasses the servant handed them to the guests. - -The refreshment was delicious. None of the boys had ever tasted anything -like it before, but all of them declared it fine. Sir Peter poured a -second glass all round, and then, when the servant had left again, the -gentleman in buff seated himself in an arm-chair, swung one leg over the -other, and beamed at his new friends. "As you say, the negus is -excellent," he observed, "but several glasses will, to use a somewhat -common expression, begin to make one see things." - -"We're seeing things already," put in David. - -Sir Peter disregarded this remark. He twisted his glass in his fingers. -"As it happens, I'm particularly glad that you arrived here to-day," he -continued. "I have a number of guests here. I am giving an entertainment -this evening. The guests are at present on the upper floors." - -There was a light tap of heels in the hall. Sir Peter looked toward the -door. "Here comes one of them--a lady." He stood up, and the campers did -likewise. "Ah, it's Mistress Penelope Boothby," Sir Peter declared with -a bow. - -A young woman stood in the doorway, a very lovely young woman in a -flowered silk gown. She courtsied down to the floor, then with a light -laugh exclaimed, "Oh la, Peter Cotterell, whom have you here? What odd -costumes the gentlemen wear!" - - - - - XVIII--THE PIRATES ASHORE - - -The gentleman in buff coat and breeches turned from the young woman in -the doorway to the four campers, who as they glanced at their own rough -outing clothes did look like a line of embarrassed schoolboys standing -in front of a teacher. - -"Now that you mention it, Penelope," said Peter Cotterell, "I do note a -difference between the garments of these lads and this gentleman and -those we are accustomed to seeing worn by our neighbors. I understand, -however, that they come from a distance, and one would hardly expect -costumes to be the same in all the colonies. It occurs to me that -possibly my new guests might like to make fresh toilets in one of the -rooms abovestairs. I have a large wardrobe, gentlemen, and it is yours -to choose from." - -"That's a good idea," said Tom. "I wonder if you have anything big -enough to fit my friend David Norton?" - -"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," said Tuckerman. "I'm sure I could -pick out something much better looking than these togs." - -The young woman stepped into the room. Her blue eyes were very merry as -she looked at the awkward row. "I think an apricot coat would suit this -one," she said, nodding at Ben. "Something in puce this one," she -indicated Tom. "Lavender for him," she waved at Tuckerman. "And for the -fourth--let me see--" She squinted her eyes and tilted her head on one -side. - -"A beautiful green," Ben suggested. "The color of seaweed in water." - -Miss Boothby laughed, and David flushed a magnificent scarlet. - -"He certainly oughtn't to wear a red coat," said Peter Cotterell. "He'd -be too much all of one color." - -"I like these things I've got on," said David. "They mayn't be very -good-looking, but they suit me first rate." - -"Oh, I like them, too," agreed Miss Boothby, and her quick smile made -David flush again, this time at the stubbornness of his tone. - -"If you care to look at my wardrobe--" Cotterell resumed. "Ah, here is -James Sampson now." - -At the door appeared a man in chocolate-colored coat and breeches, his -brown hair tied in a queue. - -"My steward," stated Cotterell. - -"So you're Sampson, are you?" asked Ben. "I've heard of you, and I'm -glad to make your acquaintance. I think I've seen some of your -handwriting." - -"He writes a legible hand," said Cotterell. "He keeps some of my -accounts. Sampson, please show my guests to the rooms upstairs. They -desire to change their attire." - -Miss Boothby touched David's arm. "For my sake wear a suit of green," -she whispered. - -David blushed. "Oh, very well," he said awkwardly. "But I guess I'll -look like a frog." - -They followed Sampson into the hall and up the stairs. As they passed -open doors they saw a number of people in gay, colonial clothes. All -through the house there was the hum of voices. - -Sampson conducted them into the attic, where many suits and dresses hung -on pegs along the walls. - -"Here is the wardrobe," he said. "I think you will find everything you -may need. And yonder is a mirror." With a bow he withdrew. - -"Well," exclaimed David, when the servant was out of earshot, "what do -you make of all this?" - -"Sir Peter is certainly much more amiable than I'd been led to suppose," -mused Tuckerman. "There's nothing of the hermit about him." - -"He's a bird!" chuckled Tom. "I'll bet he gives us a mighty fine -supper." - -"I don't blame him a bit for wanting to keep those roughnecks over in -Barmouth from melting up his silver," Ben asserted. - -"See here, you fellows," broke in David, "I want to know what's the -game." - -"Game?" echoed Ben. - -"Game?" said Tom. "What do you mean?" - -"Game?" repeated Tuckerman, and his tone was a trifle indignant. "I -don't call it a game when a gentleman like Sir Peter Cotterell invites -us to his party." - -David sat down on a sofa. "All right, all right. I'm the goat, as usual. -Fetch me a green coat and trousers." - -"I daresay Miss Boothby will dance with you," Tom cheered him. - -"_You_ may like this sort of thing," said David, "but it's not in my -line." - -Ben threw a coat at him. "Take that. Hello, here's a shelf full of wigs. -Want to try a white one, Dave?" - -For the next five minutes they looked about the room, at the coats and -the breeches and waistcoats, at the wigs and the other articles that -made up Sir Peter's wardrobe. - -Then they began to try on the costumes, seeking for the proper sizes. -Ben could find nothing that suited him exactly. And while they were -trying on different coats, there came a sound of singing from -downstairs. - -Ben, holding a coat in each hand, went into the hall and leaned over the -banisters. Men and women were singing a quaint, old-fashioned song in -the dining-room. The tune was fascinating, at times it sounded like a -jig, at times there were different parts for the different voices. Ben -listened, nodding his head in rhythm with the music. "You ought to hear -this," he called over his shoulder to the three in the attic. "It's a -regular musical show." - -The others came out into the hall. Tuckerman beat time on the banister -with a powdered wig he had been trying to squeeze on his head. Tom, -putting his hands on David's shoulders, began to dance to the tune. - -With a grin, Ben turned and went back to the attic. "I'll beat them to -it," he muttered, and flinging down the two coats he was holding he took -a yellow satin coat, embroidered with silver lace, from a peg on the -wall. - -This coat was a fine sample of the tailor's art. But Ben, having taken -it down, stared at the peg from which it had hung, and at the wall -behind it. - -He gave an exclamation, a low whistle of surprise. He knocked on the -wall with his knuckles. He glanced through the open door, and saw that -the others were still occupied with the singing. He backed away from the -wall, still keeping his eyes on it. And then he stumbled over a -footstool and sat down with a bump on the floor. - -He got up and laid the embroidered coat on a chair by the window. He -looked outdoors. And then for the second time in five minutes he uttered -an exclamation. The fishing-smack was standing close inshore on the -eastern side of the island. He could see her moving slowly to the north, -her canvas plainly visible above the tops of the trees. - -"Gee whillikins!" muttered Ben. "I'll bet my scheme worked!" - -Another minute and he was out in the hall. The singing downstairs had -stopped and there was a clapping of hands. - -"Come here!" ordered Ben. - -The other three followed him into the attic, to the window opening to -the east. - -"Is that your fishing-smack, Dave?" Ben demanded. - -David looked. "By Jove, I believe it is!" - -"Do you want to know where she's going?" was Ben's next question. - -"Shoot," said Tom. - -"She's going to the beach where I found the chest in the hiding-place in -the rocks. Her crew are after that chest, I'll bet you a fiver!" - -The three stared at him in surprise. "What makes you so certain?" asked -Tuckerman. - -"Because I know. I have reasons for knowing. They're after that chest. -They think it's the Cotterell treasure, just as I thought it was." - -"You mean they're going to land on our beach and carry off our chest -under our very noses?" demanded Tom. - -"They are unless we stop them," nodded Ben. - -"Then," said David, "I'm going to stop them. Seems to me there was an -old musket somewhere around here." - -There was an old musket in the corner of the attic; there were two, in -fact; and a fowling-piece and a couple of antique duelling-pistols. The -boys and Tuckerman seized on all the firearms, regardless of the rust -that came off on their clothes, and hurried into the hall. - -Down the stairs they went, making a great noise. And the clatter of -their feet was so loud that the gentleman in buff and all his friends -ran out from the dining-room to see what was the matter. - -"Why, it's an army coming!" cried Peter Cotterell in great surprise. - -The four halted in the front hall. - -"What's the meaning of this!" exclaimed Cotterell. "I invited you to -share my wardrobe, not to ransack the house for weapons. Come, will one -of you please explain?" Indignation mingled in his tone with surprise. - -"There's a boat off-shore, and her crew is going to land on the beach at -the northern point and steal your treasure chest," said Ben. - -"My treasure chest! My silver plate!" Cotterell raised his hand, -clenched it into a fist. "Those rascally rebels from Barmouth!" - -"I don't know where they come from," said Ben. "But we're going to chase -them away." - -"Chase them away?" Cotterell spurned the suggestion. "No, sir. We'll -capture them." - -He looked around at his guests. "Gentlemen, what do you say? Would you -like to bag a few robbers?" - -There were shouts of approval. - -"Not so loud, not so loud," said Cotterell. He turned to the boys and -Tuckerman. "Can you spare us a few of those extra musquetoons, or -whatever they are, that you found abovestairs? With those, and the -fencing swords in the living-room, and a few other odds and ends, we -should do quite nicely. I have a pistol myself. I never go without it in -these revolutionary days. Let me see. I left it in the kitchen, in a pot -on the shelf, where it would be out of the way." - -The firearms were handed around, and shortly a group of -fantastically-garbed people stood in front of the house. The campers and -Cotterell and Sampson were to lead the expedition, and some of the -ladies insisted on bringing up the rear. - -They had not gone far, however, when Sampson suggested a new idea to the -others, and after a few minutes' talk Cotterell's steward and two of the -other men left the main party and turned off in the direction of the -creek. - -Through the woods went the expedition, a long line of people following -Ben, who had a musket almost as long as himself stuck over his shoulder, -which necessitated his constantly ducking and dodging to avoid -overhanging branches. - -When they reached the northern edge of the woods they divided into three -bands. One was headed by Ben and David, the second by Tom and Cotterell, -and the third by Tuckerman. Each band was to make its way down to the -beach in front of the rocks by a different path, but not to come out -from the shelter of the bushes in the ravines until its leader was sure -that the crew from the fishing-smack had landed and were looking for the -chest. The ladies were to stay in the woods. To this Miss Penelope -Boothby objected. She said that with the riding-crop she had picked up -in the house she could easily defend herself against a dozen pirates. -Cotterell said, "I'm sure you could, my dear Penelope. But the bright -colors of your gown might give us away. And if we have to crawl through -the brambles, what would happen to your light silk dress?" - -Ben and David, with two men, threaded their way down a ravine to a -network of bushes that fringed the edge of the beach. From here, without -being seen themselves, they could see what was going on. The -fishing-smack had come to anchor a hundred yards off shore, four men had -rowed to the island and were now on the beach. Pointing to one of these -men, David whispered in Ben's ear, "That's my friend Sam. I'd know his -ugly mug anywhere." - -"They're after the chest," Ben returned. "Yes, they've found the right -place. See, one of them's crawling in, with a rope in his hand." - -Three bands of watchers, at three places along the beach, saw the crew -of the smack haul the chest out from the crevice. As soon as they had it -out they threw open the top. And as they all bent over, eager to lay -hands on the Cotterell treasure, a voice hailed them from a clump of -bushes not fifty feet away. - -"Throw up your hands!" cried the voice. "Throw them up quick!" - -The crew stood up. They saw a man in buff coat and breeches facing them, -a pistol in his hand. - -"Up with your hands!" cried another voice from a bush on the other side. - -The crew hesitated a second. One of them glanced over his shoulder. -"They've got us cornered!" he muttered, and stuck his hands up over his -head. - -The three scouting parties marched out on to the beach. The muskets and -firearms were leveled at the four men round the chest. - -"It's a regular army!" exclaimed one of the crew. And putting on as much -of an air of bravado as he could with his hands above his head, he -demanded, "What do you want of us? We're not stealing anything. We found -that chest here." - -"Keep your hands up!" cautioned Cotterell, as he walked forward. "As you -say, you're surrounded by an army. And while your hands are up, I'll ask -some of my friends to see if you have weapons in your pockets." - -The search was quickly made, and each man relieved of a pistol. - -"Now," said Cotterell, "you may ease your muscles. But let me tell you -the first one who tries to get away will be knocked down and -handcuffed." - -"All right. We'll go easy," said the man who was known to David as Sam. -"But I don't know what you're after. We came ashore and saw this box in -that crack in the rocks." - -"It's my box," said Cotterell. "I own everything on this island." - -"Well, take it if it's yours," growled Sam. "We don't want it. I thought -a box on the beach was public property." - -"You think a good many things are public property," Cotterell retorted. -He looked at Ben and David. "Have either of you seen this man anywhere -before?" - -"I have," said David. "He's the fellow who carried me off in that boat -out there." - -"Has anybody here seen any of these other men?" Cotterell asked next. - -Tom spoke up. "I'm pretty sure they're the fellows Lanky Larry and I -followed from the cove to the house called the Gables." - -"And what are they suspected of having done at the Gables?" continued -Cotterell. - -"Of stealing some jewels," said Tom. - -The man in the buff coat nodded. "In other words, they are probably not -very desirable citizens to have at large. I think it's my duty to give -them into custody." - -"Oh, come now," said Sam. "You don't really know anything about us. -There's your chest. You see we haven't taken anything from it. We were -sailing along the coast and we came ashore to have a look at the island. -That's a reasonable thing to do." - -"You haven't any right to arrest us!" exclaimed one of the other men. -"You haven't got a warrant. And who's going to believe what that young -fellow said about seeing us somewhere else?" - -"Perhaps we can supply the authorities with further proof," said -Cotterell with a smile. - -There came a shout from someone on board the fishing-smack, and all -those on the beach looked in that direction. A man was waving a -handkerchief over the side of the boat. - - - - - XIX--THE COTTERELL SILVER PLATE - - -While the campers and Cotterell and his guests had been making prisoners -of the four men on the beach, the steward Sampson and the two others who -had separated from the main party had embarked in a motor-boat that was -moored in the creek and made their way out to the fishing-smack. To the -surprise of the skipper, who was the only man aboard, two men in -fantastic knee-breeches had swung themselves over one side of his boat -while he was idly surveying the northern point of the island from the -other side. He turned to find himself looking at the muzzle of the most -remarkable pistol he had ever seen. Being unarmed himself, he had -immediately put up his hands. Whereupon the two men had smiled, and the -one with the pistol, lowering that ancient weapon, had said, "That's a -good fellow. Is there anyone else aboard?" - -"No," said the skipper, not wanting to have the smack searched. - -"Take a look through his clothes for a weapon," the man with the pistol -said to his companion. - -No weapon was found. The man in the motor-boat came aboard, and two of -the men went into the smack's cabin, while the third guarded the -skipper. - -When the two returned from the cabin some time later, one of them went -to the rail and shouted and waved his handkerchief toward shore. And -presently Cotterell and Tom, David and Ben rowed out in the smack's -boat. - -In the cabin were the hats and cloaks and the other things that Tom and -Lanky had seen in the shack at the cove. Sampson set out at once in the -motor-boat for Barmouth, and before the sun had touched the tops of the -trees the four men on the beach and the skipper were in custody of the -police, charged with having stolen certain valuables from the Gables. - -"Well," said Cotterell, when he and his guests were again on the island, -"my treasure is still secure from the rebels, thanks to you," and he -bowed to the campers. - -"Oh, is your famous dinner-set really in that chest?" asked Miss -Penelope Boothby. She went to the chest and looked at its contents. -"Why, it's only clothes and bric-a-brac! There's no silverware there." - -"No," said Cotterell, smiling. "That is not my silver plate. I keep it -better hid than that." - -"Oh, do let us dine off it to-night," begged Miss Boothby. "I should -dearly love to see it." - -Cotterell looked perplexed. "Why, I should like you to," he answered. -Then he glanced at the sun. "But the party waits. And it was my -intention to dance a minuet on the lawn before my house while it was -daylight. Come, friends, come along with me." - -They went back through the woods. The boys and Tuckerman branched off by -the path to their camp, promising to come to Cotterell Hall in time to -join the party. And, once out of hearing of the others, David turned to -Ben. "You're a cute fellow, Benjie. How'd you ever guess that the men -from the smack would go after that chest?" - -"I don't mind telling you now," said Ben with a grin. "I was pretty sure -that those men were snooping around the house, looking for clues to the -treasure, and so I put a copy of that message on the parchment out on -the lid of the desk, where they couldn't very well fail to see it. Then -I went down on the beach by the cliff when the smack was fairly near -shore, and tried to give them the notion that I was looking for -something. Well, they bit all right. They thought the treasure was -hidden there, just as I thought myself when I first saw Sampson's -message." - -"I'll hand it to you, sonny," said Tom. "You turned the trick! And -that's the crowd that stole the jewels from the Gables, just as I -thought." - -"They stole some of Mr. Fitzhugh's costumes," said Ben. "It seems to me -that the fact that we found those costumes in the cabin shows what -they've been doing." - -They sat on the bank a few minutes, talking over the adventure. Then -Tuckerman stood up. "Well, we're due at Cotterell Hall. Wash your hands -and brush your hair, so you'll look your smartest." - -"Do you suppose we'll have to dance?" asked David, as he ran a comb -through his thatch of hair. - -"I think that one of the ladies has her eye on you," said Tuckerman, -laughing. "However, if you've got a game leg, I'll be glad to take your -place." - -As they reached the house Peter Cotterell came out at the door. Behind -him were Miss Boothby and Sampson. "My wardrobe is still upstairs," the -buff-coated man said genially. "Make what use of it you please." - -This time the campers found costumes quickly. Even Ben, who kept looking -at the row of pegs from which he had taken down the yellow satin coat, -got into that coat and a pair of breeches. There was the sound of a -violin in front of the house, and as they came down the steps they found -the whole party taking places for a dance. - -"I'm afraid we don't know the minuet," said Tuckerman, hesitating. - -"Oh, it's easy enough," said the host. "I'll call off the figures." - -Ben gave Tom a nudge, and pointed out two men who stood at a little -distance with a big camera. "Sir Peter's up to date," he whispered. "I -guess it's the first time anyone ever took moving-pictures on -Cotterell's Island." - -Meantime Miss Boothby had gone up to David and boldly proclaimed that he -was to dance with her. The suit that David had put on in the attic -happened to be green, and when she reminded him that that was the color -she had asked him to wear he turned beet red and stammered something -about "trying to please a lady." - -[Illustration: "My wardrobe is still upstairs. Make what use of it you -please."] - -"We will stand near Mr. Cotterell, and I will show you all the steps," -she said. "I could tell you were very light on your feet the very first -time I saw you." - -"Well, I can pick them up pretty well in a clog or a shuffle," admitted -David. - -"I knew it! I knew it!" exclaimed the delighted Miss Boothby; and -pouncing on David's hand she led him to where Peter Cotterell was -assigning places to the dancers. - -Tom and Ben and Tuckerman all had partners. The violin began to play, -and Cotterell led off the dance. The host was very graceful and so was -the lady he danced with, and they posed and bowed and courtsied -constantly as they went through the stately measures of the minuet. The -others copied their leaders, and after a few minutes' practice contrived -to do it well. Meantime the camera clicked, taking reels of pictures of -the old-fashioned dance. - -There was a final bow and courtesy, a final posing in position. Then -Cotterell raised his hand. "That was beautifully done, my friends," he -said. "Surely my island home has never witnessed a more graceful scene. -I trust you have all gained an excellent appetite for dinner." - -"What a gorgeous sunset!" exclaimed Miss Boothby, looking toward the -water. - -They all moved down in the direction of the pier. As they came in view -of the broad and many-colored bay they saw a sailboat heading for the -landing. Cotterell stopped and again raised his hand. "Can it be that -the people of Barmouth are coming out here again?" he demanded -indignantly. "I'll have nothing to do with them, and they know it! I -will not give them my plate!" - -The sailboat came on. Cotterell, followed by the others, walked out on -the pier. - -"What do you want?" called out the buff-coated man. "This is Cotterell's -Island." - -"We know it is," answered a man in the boat. "Who are you? You look like -Sir Peter." - -"I don't want any rebels from Barmouth landing here," came the reply. - -"There aren't any rebels nowadays. We won the Revolution." - -"You shan't have my silver plate." - -There were laughs from those in the boat. "We don't want it. We've -brought paper plates of our own." - -"Well," said Cotterell, "this is most extraordinary!" He turned to his -guests. "Shall I let them land?" - -"We've got an ice cream freezer aboard," called a girl in the boat. -"Fresh strawberry ice cream." - -"Yes," said Miss Boothby, at Cotterell's elbow, "we'll let them land -with that cargo." - -The sailboat touched the landing-stage, and two men, two women and two -girls got out. "Hello, Benjie," cried Milly Hallett, waving her hand to -the dark-haired boy. "What grand company you've got!" - -The arrivals were Mr. and Mrs. Hallett and Mr. and Mrs. Hooper and Milly -and Sarah. They went up on the pier, where Tom introduced them to Peter -Cotterell. - -Mr. Hallett looked at the company. "I'd no idea, sir," he said, -addressing Cotterell, "that your island was entertaining so many guests -to-day. I wish I'd brought a dozen gallons of strawberry ice cream." - -"You are welcome anyhow, Mr. Hallett," answered Cotterell graciously. "I -think perhaps I can supply any deficiency." He turned to his steward. -"Sampson, will you bring Mr. Hallett's ice cream freezer up to the -Hall?" - -"Oh, no, Sir Peter," protested Mr. Hallett. "We were going to have a -simple picnic supper outdoors." - -The buff-coated gentleman bowed. "Your pardon, sir; but I am the -overlord here. Those whom I allow to land on my island are my guests -during their stay. You must dine at my board." - -Peter Cotterell offered his arm to Mrs. Hallett, and led the way up to -the house. Sampson and Tom brought up the rear, carrying the ice cream -freezer. - -They all went into the large front room. "Dinner in half-an-hour," -announced the host. - -"That reminds me," said Miss Boothby; "since we're all friends here, -aren't you going to offer us dinner from your silver plate?" - -"Really, Penelope," expostulated Cotterell, "you repeat yourself. That's -the second time this afternoon you've mentioned the same idea." - -"It seems only hospitable," pouted Miss Boothby. - -Cotterell looked at the floor. "Well, you see," he began. "You see----" - -The lady interrupted. "I believe you've forgotten where you put it!" - -There was an awkward pause. Cotterell flushed, bit his lip. - -"Well, if he has," piped up Ben, "he's only mislaid it. I think I can -show him where it is." - -Everyone turned to look at the fellow who spoke with such confidence. -John Tuckerman stared, and so did Tom, while David gave a low whistle -and muttered, "It's just like Benjie to do something ridiculous." - -Cotterell smiled. "I am a great hand at mislaying things--it's my -besetting sin. Now I would be very much obliged if you would show me -where I did put that silverware." - -"How funny," said Miss Boothby, "that a total stranger should know. I -understand that he came here for the first time this afternoon." - -"What joke is he going to play on them?" Tuckerman whispered to Tom. "I -can't imagine what he's got in mind." - -"He's putting up a good bluff," Tom whispered back. "He looks very much -in earnest." - -And Ben did look as if his statement had been perfectly reasonable. He -nodded at Cotterell. "You may be a great hand at mislaying things--I -don't know much about that; but I do know that you're a wonder at hiding -them." - -"That's so, I am," agreed the buff-coated man with a pleased chuckle. "I -can hide things so well that very often I don't know where to look for -them myself." - -"Well," said Miss Boothby, "where is the silver? It's almost time for -dinner." - -Ben bowed, imitating the courtly manner of Cotterell. "Ladies and -gentlemen," said he, "if you will be so good as to fall into line behind -me, I will endeavor to answer Miss Boothby's question." - -Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Ben, in his yellow satin coat and -knee-breeches, went into the hall and up the stairs, followed by -Cotterell, Penelope Boothby, Milly and Sarah, Tuckerman, Tom and David, -and a line of men and women. - -He led them into the attic. When they were all in the big room he -pointed to the wall along which ran the row of pegs from one of which he -had taken the coat. - -"Now," he said, "please tell me what you see." - -"A wall," answered Milly promptly, "with some pegs to hang things on." - -"Miss Hallett is certainly right," said Tuckerman. "There may be some -cobwebs, too, up under the ceiling. Do you mean the cobwebs, Ben?" - -"There are lots of more interesting things here," said Sarah, looking -around. "There's that lovely green lacquered temple." - -"Don't joke with the magician, Sally," David admonished her. "He wants -you to look at those pegs." - -"No, that particular wall is the most interesting thing in this attic," -Ben declared stoutly. "I think it's the most interesting thing in the -house." - -They all looked where he pointed, but none of them caught what he was -driving at. - -"Why, Professor Tuckerman," said Ben, "I thought you were a better -observer." - -"Well, I don't see anything but the pegs and some rather dingy -wallpaper," Tuckerman confessed. - -"Ah, now you're talking! You do see the wallpaper, do you?" Ben -continued. - -"Of course," said Tuckerman. "It's the pictured kind, like that in the -rooms downstairs." - -"Oh, no, it's not," exclaimed Ben. "There's not another piece like that -in Cotterell Hall." - -"Is that so?" said Tuckerman. "Well, it represents some sort of outdoor -scene." - -"I think those are meant to be pine trees," Cotterell put in. - -"And that looks like a sunset," Miss Boothby contributed. "Though some -of the red has rubbed off." - -Ben bobbed his head. "And those yellowish things are rocks." He stepped -up to the wallpaper and pointed with his finger. "Three pines that stand -between two rocks where the sun goes down." He turned. "Does that convey -anything to you, Professor?" - -"By Jove! You're right! So it does!" Tuckerman exclaimed. "That was the -old saying! The hiding-place is just beyond the three pines that stand -between two rocks where the sun goes down." - -"Exactly!" said Ben, in a quiet tone of triumph. He rapped on the wall -with his knuckles. "It's wood. Mr. Cotterell, have you any objection to -our taking this part of the wall down?" - -"None in the least," answered Cotterell. "Sampson, will you be so good -as to get some chisels and hammers? I think you'll find them in the -little room to the right of the kitchen." - -While Sampson went on his errand Ben and Tom and Tuckerman fingered that -part of the wall that was bounded by the picture. They found the edges -of two boards, running from floor to ceiling, and when they had peeled -off the paper that concealed these edges they discovered there was a -panel. - -Sampson returned with a couple of chisels and hammers. Wedging the -chisels in between the boards and giving a couple of light blows, he -pried the panel loose. Ben pulled it away. Behind it, under the eaves of -the house, was a compartment. And in the compartment was a big square -box. - -Ben and Tom and Tuckerman pulled the box out into the attic. It was -fastened with a single lock. Hammer and chisel soon knocked the lock -off. Tuckerman raised the lid. "Yes, it's the Cotterell silver plate!" -he cried. "By Jove, we've found it now!" - -They handed the plate around, magnificent old silverware that was worth -a small fortune. And they were still admiring it when a dinner gong -sounded downstairs. - - - - - XX--SIR PETER'S PARTY - - -When none of his guests could eat any more of the delicious ice cream -that topped off a wonderful dinner, the buff-coated gentleman rose from -his chair at the head of the table. They had dined from the famous -Cotterell silver service, and the candles that now illuminated the -shining mahogany table were fastened in exquisite candlesticks that had -been in the treasure chest. - -The buff-coated gentleman raised a glass that stood beside his plate. -"My friends," he said, "our guests from Barmouth tell us that the -Revolution is over; so there would be no object in keeping the Cotterell -treasure hidden any longer. But it was well hidden. So well hidden -indeed that it required a genius like Benjamin Sully to find out where -it was. I propose a toast to that master detective, Benjamin Sully." - -All, except Ben, lifted their glasses and drank, nodding at the -dark-haired boy. - -Then Ben stood up. "I propose a toast to Sir Peter," he said, "who -surely does know how to give people a good time." - -That toast was drunk also. Then Tuckerman got to his feet. "Sir Peter, I -am proud of you," he said. "I don't believe a more delightful party was -ever given in Cotterell Hall." - -The man at the head of the table smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that, -John Tuckerman," he responded. "For, in a way, I felt that to-night I'd -been usurping a place that was rightfully yours. For, of course, this is -your house, and this is your silver plate." - -"Then who are you?" piped up Sarah Hooper from the foot of the table. - -"I think he's Roderick Fitzhugh," said Tom, who sat beside Sarah. - -"I think he's Mr. Joseph Hastings," volunteered Ben. - -The buff-coated gentleman nodded, "You are both right. Joseph Hastings, -Roderick Fitzhugh, and Peter Cotterell. I'm quite a versatile fellow. -I've a passion for acting, to tell the truth." - -"I thought you were Joseph Hastings," said Ben, "when I met you at the -Gables." - -"Yes, that's my right name. But Roderick Fitzhugh sounded so much more -romantic. And I'd invited a houseful of guests to help me act a play I'd -written for the moving-pictures. We all took the names we were to have -in the play." He pointed to Penelope Boothby. "She was the fair Maid -Rosalind. And my steward Sampson yonder was Sir Marmaduke Midchester. -And we liked our costumes so much that we wore them most of the time. -That's how I happened to be in Lincoln green when Master Ben drove up." - -"And it was the snuff-box you bought in Barmouth that I found in the -chest in the cliff," asserted Ben. "How did it happen to come there?" - -Joseph Hastings pushed his chair back from the table and crossed his -legs. "That's quite a long story. But I suppose you'd like to hear it. I -have a friend who knows John Tuckerman very well, and he wrote me that -Tuckerman had come here to take possession of this island and its house. -That sounded very interesting. So I came over here in my motor-boat with -Martin Locke--that's Sir Marmaduke, alias Sampson, and Miss Adelaide -Lawson--that's Penelope Boothby--it was a day or two before you campers -arrived--and we found we could open one of the drawing-room windows and -get into the house that way. Then we discovered the note stuck in the -picture frame, and so we learned there was a secret about a family -treasure." - -"And you left the window open a little when you went out," put in Tom. -"That's how it happened that Ben's candle blew out." - -"Did we?" said Hastings. "I didn't know we did that. But we found some -wax and took an impression of the key-hole in the front door, and I had -a key made to fit it in Barmouth. I thought we'd have some fun with John -Tuckerman and his friends." - -"You did, all right," said Tuckerman. "I'll forgive you for making that -key. I suppose that's what those men from the fishing-smack did when -they broke in here." - -"I'm sorry if I set a bad example," Hastings answered. "But they didn't -learn the trick from us. Well, a day or two later we three came back -again." - -"You landed from the creek?" Ben asked. - -"Yes; we didn't want you to see us, and the creek was on the other side -of the island from your camp." - -"And one of you took off his shoes before he landed?" Ben questioned -again. - -"Yes, Martin did. He carried Miss Lawson ashore." Hastings laughed. "You -saw his footprints, didn't you? We thought you might find them, so we -came back later and rubbed them out." - -"Gigantic footprints," murmured David. - -They all laughed, while Martin Locke blushed red. - -"Yes, they are pretty big," Hastings continued. "Well, when we came that -time we found the notebooks in the drawing-room. Miss Lawson glanced -through them, and read that part about a mahogany man with long, skinny -legs and the clipper ship. We got an old piece of parchment and some -purplish ink and we wrote out that message and signed it James Sampson. -Then we cut it in two and put one-half in the secret drawer of the -secretary and the other half in the model of a ship in the attic. We -wanted to find out just how clever you were. We thought you might take -the desk to be the mahogany man." - -"We got the idea of that from something Sally Hooper said," Ben put in. -"And the secretary certainly has long, skinny legs and is made of -mahogany. Still, we mightn't have connected it with Sir Peter's mahogany -man, if it hadn't been for Sally." - -"Well, if you hadn't," Hastings continued, "we'd have thought up some -other way to have you find that message on the parchment. We were very -proud of that little scheme. Martin wrote the letters with his left -hand, so they'd look as if Sir Peter's servant might have done them, and -he put water into the ink, so as to give it a nice, antique, faded -appearance. We wanted you to have the fun of finding some sort of a -treasure, you see." - -"And didn't you take a look around for the real treasure mentioned in -the note in the picture frame?" Tuckerman asked. - -"Well, we did take a squint," Hastings acknowledged. "But we didn't -think it likely we'd find that, if none of the Cotterells had been able -to do it. We thought more about having some fun with you campers." He -looked at the three boys. "And we did give you a good time, didn't -we?--particularly Ben?" - -"Yes, you did," nodded Ben. "I was pretty well excited when I found that -second piece of parchment in the hold of the ship." - -"When we'd fixed up the message," Hastings resumed, "the next thing was -to provide the treasure. Of course we'd already made a note of that -crevice in the cliffs with the mark like a cross. I had an old chest at -the Gables, and we filled it with some old costumes I had on hand, and -then one day when I was in Barmouth I picked up some odds and ends from -a dealer in antiques there, a fellow by the name of Haskins." - -"And that's where the silver snuff-box comes in," said Ben. - -"Yes, that's where it comes in," Hastings admitted. "Though I must say -that I was surprised when you drove up to the Gables that day and wanted -to know if Joseph Hastings had anything to do with that snuff-box you'd -found on the island. I didn't tell the dealer my name." - -"No, he didn't know your name," said Ben. "I asked him that. You see, as -soon as I saw what was in the chest I had a suspicion that someone was -playing a game on us. Those things weren't the Cotterell treasure; and -why should anyone take so much trouble to hide such things on the -island? Then I knew there had been people here, the footprints by the -creek, the handkerchief in the kitchen----" - -"What's that about a handkerchief?" interrupted Martin Locke. - -"The Professor found a handkerchief on the table in the kitchen," Ben -explained. "A lady's handkerchief, with the initials A. S. L." - -"So that's where I left it!" exclaimed Miss Lawson. "Those are my -initials--Adelaide Sanderson Lawson." - -"Yes, there was the handkerchief and there were the footprints," Ben -continued. "That showed we weren't the only people who had been to the -island. And so, when we went to Barmouth, I took the snuffbox along, and -dropped in on Mr. Haskins. He knew the snuff-box at once, and told me -that the man who had bought it from him, and some other things too, had -come in a big red car with a silver eagle on the radiator cap, and that -the car had a Massachusetts license and the man was wearing -green-checked knickerbockers. He didn't know the man's name." - -"I guess those green checks are rather conspicuous," murmured Hastings. -"But how did you connect the purchaser with me?" - -"Through the clerk at the hotel where you stopped for dinner, and the -man you bought a new tire from," Ben answered, and he told how he had -found his way to the Gables. - -"Pretty clever," laughed Hastings. "But instead of finding out why I'd -put those things in the chest you went hooked-rug hunting with me." - -"Well," said Ben, "when we came back to your house I thought you must be -Joseph Hastings, but I didn't get any good opening to follow up the -clue. And then there was all that excitement over the robbers. But when -I saw you doing those moving-pictures I sized you up as a person who'd -like to play a game of some sort on us." - -"I don't know whether that's a knock at me or not," said Hastings. "But -I do like to play games. And that's why, when I learned that you'd found -the chest, I thought it would be good fun to come over here as Sir Peter -Cotterell, dress my guests in Revolutionary costumes, and take some -moving-pictures on the island. Martin and I came over to see about it; -that was the afternoon when you invited us to stay to supper and Martin -sang his song." - -"It was a splendid idea," said Tuckerman, "and you did it up brown." - -"Thank you." Hastings bowed. "Such words from a descendant of Sir Peter -are a compliment indeed. We learned that you were going over to the -water sports at Camp Amoussock this morning, so we thought we'd have a -clear field. We brought a flotilla of boats--they're moored in the creek -now--and a good supply of costumes, and cooks and food and the -moving-picture camera. I had one of my men make up like a servant from -the Barbadoes, stain his face and hands with mahogany juice; he's the -one who brought us the negus; though it isn't really negus--it's -loganberry juice and soda-water--and I got Martin Locke to play the part -of Sampson." Hastings looked at Locke and laughed. "Though I don't think -Martin could possibly have carried that treasure chest all the way from -here to the north shore." - -"You certainly do things up thoroughly," said Mr. Hallett. - -"But what made the party a real success," said Hastings, "was what our -friend Ben Sully did. First, the capture of the thieves, and second, the -finding of the real Cotterell treasure. That's a pretty fine showing for -one day, Ben." - -"It was just luck I found that chest in the attic," Ben answered. "I -thought all along that the pines and the rocks mentioned in that -notebook were actual outdoor pines and rocks, just as I suppose -everybody's thought who's hunted for the treasure. I've been up in the -attic a lot of times, and never particularly noticed the wallpaper--it's -pretty much faded and blurred, as you saw; but when I was taking this -coat off one of the pegs this afternoon, I did happen to notice that -there was a yellowish sun and some pines and rocks in the design on the -wall. Then the idea struck me all at once. Mightn't that be the place -the words in the notebook meant? And the more I looked at that wallpaper -the more I felt certain of it. I suppose Sir Peter told someone jokingly -one day that the treasure was hidden beyond the three pines that stand -between two rocks where the sun goes down, and that fooled the people -who've looked for it ever since. He surely did like his joke." - -"Why didn't you tell us about it as soon as you hit on that great idea, -Benjie?" It was Tom who asked the question. - -"Why, then I saw the fishing-smack, and wanted to go after the thieves." - -"But afterwards?" said Tom. "Don't tell me you'd forgotten about it when -we stopped at the camp." - -Ben looked a trifle embarrassed. "Why, the fact is," he replied, "I -thought I'd like to spring it at a dramatic moment. I had an idea that -Miss Boothby would ask Sir Peter again to show us the Cotterell silver -plate--she wanted to tease him about it--and when she had him up a tree -would be the right time for me to speak out and tell what I'd -discovered." - -"That's one on you, Adelaide," laughed Joseph Hastings. "Ben saw how you -love to ask awkward questions. And he likes dramatic things as much as I -do. He sprung it at just the right moment." - -Tuckerman stood up and walked to the door that opened into the hall. -From there he looked down the length of the room, at the table gleaming -with silver, at the many candles, at the gaily-clad company. "Yes," he -said, "I think this is worthy of Sir Peter. I'm glad that Cotterell Hall -has held high festival once more." - -"Sir Peter was a dear," said Miss Lawson. "I've liked him ever since I -saw that picture of him in the drawing-room. And it's a wonderful house, -Mr. Tuckerman. What are you going to do with it? Are you going to live -here?" - -"I can't very well," Tuckerman answered, with a shake of his head. "My -home's in the middle West. I'm not like my Uncle Christopher and his -ancestors; I can't live on an island in solitary grandeur. I'm too fond -of people." - -"Why don't you turn it into a show-place?" suggested Milly Hallett. -"That's getting to be quite the fashionable thing to do with colonial -houses." - -"We've talked about that," said Tuckerman. His eyes roved over the fine -room; and after a minute he shook his head. "Cotterell Hall a museum? -No, I couldn't do that. But I'll tell you what I would like to do. I'd -like to come here every summer, and have Tom and Ben and David camp out -with me, and have Joseph Hastings bring his house-parties over here and -spend a week as my guests." - -There were cheers from all the company, the rafters rang with the noise -as each and every one shouted his or her acceptance. Hastings jumped to -his feet. - -"In the name of us all I accept your invitation. We will come, and dance -in your drawing-room and dine from your table, as they did in Sir -Peter's day. And now, friends and fellow-citizens, I propose three -cheers--three long and rousing cheers--for John Tuckerman!" - -The cheers were given--long and rousing enough to suit even Joseph -Hastings. - -Then the buff-coated man waved his hand. "As your host for the evening, -I invite you to go to the drawing-room and dance something a little more -modern than the minuet. Miss Sarah Hooper, will you do me the honor?" - -Sarah and Mr. Hastings led the way across the hall to the front room, -where the rugs had been removed from the polished floor. The music was a -piano and violin. And everybody danced, even David, who contrived to jig -about not too awkwardly with Milly Hallett. - -Then there were songs. Martin Locke sang the ballad he had written, and -Tuckerman sang, and Miss Lawson sang several times. Presently Hastings -glanced at the clock. "I don't like to mention it," said he, "but it's -almost midnight. To the boats, to the boats, and away!" - -They all trooped out to the creek, where the flotilla was moored. Ladies -in silks and satins and beruffled gentlemen embarked. With cheers from -the shore, Joseph Hastings' fleet steered down the inlet and turned -south. - -Then the sailboat from Barmouth, with the Halletts and Hoopers, flitted -away from the landing-stage on the other side of the island. The boys -and Tuckerman went along the shore to their camp. - -"Great doings!" said Tom. "But how are we ever going to keep Benjie busy -now that the treasure is found?" - -"Don't you worry about me," Ben retorted. "I've got plenty to do. The -sea is still full of fish." - -"He's after a mahogany fish with long, skinny legs," said David. - -"What I want to know," said Ben, "is whether there ever was a real -mahogany man." - -"I think there was," said Tuckerman. "But he sailed away in the clipper -ship. He probably went to the Barbadoes." - -Tom gave a great yawn. "Well," he said, "Ben can sit up and talk about -him as long as he likes; but for me--I'm going to bed. It's been what -I'd call a full day." - - - - - XXI--THE BOYS AND JOHN TUCKERMAN - - -Tuckerman pulled himself up on to the rock where Tom and David and Ben -were sitting in the sun. The quiet of early morning was on the water; a -few terns were fishing for their breakfast; there was the distant -chug-chug of a lobsterman's motor-boat somewhere to the south; but -otherwise the campers had the shore and the bay to themselves. Tuckerman -sat down, sticking his long legs out in front of him. "I may not be a -duck," he said, "but I'm certainly getting web-feet. I feel almost as -much at home in the water as on dry land." - -"You're a good swimmer," said Tom. "In fact, you're an all-around sport. -I don't believe any of the Cotterells knew a quarter as much about the -water as you do." - -"I can't picture Sir Peter sunning himself on this rock after a morning -swim," said David. - -"Customs change with the times." Tuckerman slapped his wet knees. "But I -can tell you I'm glad I came on East this summer and learned to be a -real man." - -"So am I," said Ben. "No, I didn't mean it that way. Of course you were -a real man before. What I mean is that the camp on your island has been -a great success. It's taught me a lot." - -"Benjie, are you really going to be a professional detective?" David -inquired. "Seems to me I heard someone say that you were thinking of -it." - -"One mistake I made at first," Ben remarked solemnly, "was in thinking -that the men who put that chest in the rocks and those that Tom saw -leaving the island in the sailboat were the same people. I thought there -was only one set of men prowling around here, when there were really -two." - -Tuckerman smiled. "I don't wonder you got them mixed. Well, I'm glad -Joseph Hastings' guests got their jewels back from those thieves." - -"You see," Ben continued, following his own line of thought, "the -thieves came out here on the night when Tom saw them in a sailboat, and -not in the fishing-smack. And I think it must have been that same -sailboat we saw close to the island the night when we returned from Camp -Amoussock in the _Argo_." He pried loose a sliver of rock and threw it -into the water. "Naturally, I didn't connect that sailboat with the -fishing-smack." - -"You're forgiven," said Tom. "Don't let that weigh on your conscience." - -"I'm not sure," suggested David, "but that we ought to call Benjie the -Professor and call Mr. Tuckerman, John. Benjie's getting to be a real -professor. Just listen to the way he talks." - -"Ever since he found the treasure----" began Tom. - -"Oh, let up on a fellow, can't you?" Ben interrupted. "I haven't -mentioned the treasure to-day." - -David gave a chuckle. "You haven't been out of bed an hour yet. And that -puts me in mind of something important. Breakfast is waiting on the -beach." - -Four splashes of water as the campers dove from the rock. Tuckerman -could manage a very passable dive now. A swim across to the beach, a -rub-down, a quick donning of clothes, and then preparations for -breakfast. "I've never known coffee to taste so good as it does on -Cotterell's Island," said Tuckerman, draining his cup. - -Tom looked up at the man with the horn-rimmed spectacles. "Have you ever -known anything to taste so good as it does on Cotterell's Island?" he -asked with a twinkle in his eye. - -"No, now I come to think of it, I don't believe I ever have. It's a -wonderful place." - -"Wonderful cooking, you mean," put in David. - -"Wonderful fish," said Ben. - -"Just listen to them," expostulated Tom. "Each taking the credit to -himself. When the fact of the matter is that it's all due to me. You'd -never have come out here, Professor, would you, if I hadn't agreed to -come along?" - -"Picture me alone here!" said Tuckerman. "No, I didn't believe I should. -Alone on a deserted island. It sounds all right in stories; but for -practical purposes give me three companions. Boys, when I go back to my -middle-western city I'll think a great deal about this summer on the -coast." - -"It is pretty good here," David admitted, looking across the water to -where a white sail was peeping around a point of land. "And in winter -there's fine skating." - -"And wonderful coasting," said Ben. "There's a hill back of Barmouth -where you can coast for a mile." - -"And skiing," Tom added. "You ought to be good at that, Professor, -you've got such long legs." - -Tuckerman put his hands to his ears. "Hold on, hold on!" he exclaimed. -"You overwhelm me. Do you want to make me desert my home and business, -and do nothing but play?" - -The three boys laughed. "We don't play all the time by any means," said -Ben. - -"Not a bit of it," said David. "Sometimes we wash the dishes." And -taking Ben by the collar of his flannel shirt he lifted him to his feet. -"Benjie'll show you how we do it." - -When they had cleaned the dishes they walked over to Cotterell Hall. -Tuckerman opened the front door, which was unlocked. "While I was so -very particular about the key," he chuckled, "both Joseph Hastings and -the crew of the fishing-smack were coming in whenever they wanted. They -made their own keys to fit the locks. Well, I ought to have been more -hospitable." - -A week had passed since the famous party, and in that week the police of -Barmouth had found the jewels that were stolen from the Gables, and also -duplicate keys to the front and back doors of Cotterell Hall, hidden in -the cabin of the fishing-smack. On the strength of that, and of the -testimony of Tom and David and Lanky Larry as to what they had seen on -the afternoon when they were at the cove, Sam and the other men had been -held in jail for the next term of court. - -"There's one thing," said Ben, as the four went into the big room on the -left of the hall, "that still puzzles me a bit. Why did Christopher -Cotterell write those lines in his notebook? 'Find the mahogany-hued man -with the long, skinny legs and look in his breast pocket. That's a -saying my father handed down. What can it mean?'" Ben looked at the -others. "What do you suppose the mahogany man did have in his pocket?" - -"I'm sure I don't know," said Tuckerman. "He certainly didn't have Sir -Peter's silver plate. That may be one of those legends, Ben, that get -changed from their original meaning as they are handed down from one to -another." - -"I suppose that may be it," agreed Ben, though he did not look -altogether satisfied. - -"Every colonial house," Tuckerman continued, "ought to have some legend -to make it interesting. The mahogany man can be the legend of Cotterell -Hall." - -Tuckerman looked at the portrait of his ancestor. "We've found what you -meant by the place of the three pines and the two rocks where the sun -goes down," he said; "but we haven't found what it was that the mahogany -man had in his breast pocket. So you've still provided a conundrum for -Ben to puzzle over. Sir Peter, I don't believe you'd have any objection -to our having found the plate. I think that to-day you'd be as good an -American as any of the rest of us." - -"Of course he would," said Tom, "I can understand how he'd have objected -to his neighbors telling him to hand over his silver to them. I'd have -objected myself." - -Tuckerman turned to the three boys. "You approve of Sir Peter, don't -you?" he asked. "Even if he was a Tory?" - -"I do," said Ben promptly. - -"I do," said Tom. - -"I think he was a corker, Professor," said David. "I wish he'd been in -my family." - -"And that's the opinion of three boys of good old Barmouth families," -said Tuckerman with a pleased smile. "Well, boys, you're to feel free to -camp on Sir Peter's island and use his house any time you want." - -"Now," said Tom, "the next thing is to get the Professor to sail us -around to the north shore, so we can get Mr. Hastings' chest and bring -it back to the house. We don't want to leave any tempting bait for other -prowlers to find." - -They went aboard the _Argo_, and Tuckerman took the helm. He was now a -proficient skipper, and he gloried in it, as he gloried in all the new -accomplishments he had acquired in the past month. - -The chest was brought to Cotterell Hall, and again the _Argo_ set sail. -This time the three boys fished, while Tuckerman handled the boat. -Flounders were biting in plenty, and soon they had enough for dinner. -Ben pulled in his line. "We'd better leave some for another day," he -suggested. - -"The wind's just right for a southerly run," said Tom. - -"Aye, aye, Captain," said Tuckerman, and brought the bow about. - -South they sailed, past the flag at Camp Amoussock, past the cove with -the shacks on each side, past Joseph Hastings' private dock, almost down -to Gosport before Tuckerman came about. - -North to the island and dinner. And as they sat on the bank afterwards -and Tuckerman smoked his pipe, he said, "Well, to-morrow I must start -back to the city. But I tell you, I've learned more since I've camped -out in Barmouth Harbor than I ever learned in college." - -"If you stayed here much longer," said David, "you'd be almost as -learned as Benjie." - -"I don't know about that," Tuckerman answered. "I'm not as keen-witted -as he is. I'm more lazy, like you, Dave." - -David grinned. "Well, it takes something really important to make me -move around. I wouldn't go trailing a snuff-box all over the country." - -"It takes Lanky Larry's pitching," said Tom. "Dave has to get mad before -he does his best work." - -"I wasn't mad. I was cool as a cucumber," David responded. "I have a -nice friendly nature." - -"If it hadn't been for my following the snuffbox," Ben spoke up, "Joseph -Hastings wouldn't have come out here and given his party; and if he -hadn't given his party and told us to get our costumes up in the attic, -I wouldn't have noticed that wallpaper; and if I hadn't noticed the -wallpaper we'd never have found the treasure. Q. E. D." - -"There!" exclaimed David, "Ben's off again! No, Professor, I was wrong; -you couldn't possibly be as learned as he is; nobody could." - -"I've half a mind to duck you for that," said Ben. - -"Come on!" retorted David, pretending to roll up his sleeves. - -"Only it's too soon after dinner," answered the dark-haired boy. "I'll -overlook it this once; but don't you do it again." - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Peter Cotterell's Treasure, by -Rupert Sargent Holland - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER COTTERELL'S TREASURE *** - -***** This file should be named 43670.txt or 43670.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/6/7/43670/ - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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