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"Isn't this the one you pointed out to me the other day as belonging to the man who fought with you against the Malays?" "That's it," confirmed Tyke. "It's Manuel Gomez's box. Queer," he went on reflectively, "that of all the chests there were in that loft the only one we thought of looking in should burst open at our very feet. But of course," he added hastily, "we know there isn't."
Any man who wants to do justice does not wait till the last minute to hear both sides of the question. I have no time to lose, and I propose that the matter be put to the vote at once." A brief but still hot discussion followed before each person wrote "Tyke" or "Farebrother" on a piece of paper and slipped it into a glass tumbler; and in the mean time Mr. Bulstrode saw Lydgate enter.
"Thirty-seven long paces due north from the Witch's Head. 'Eighty-nine long paces due east from The Three Sisters," he went on. "Now we're getting down to something definite!" exclaimed Captain Hamilton. "That's all," announced Drew. "What do you suppose it means?" "It can mean only one thing, it seems to me," said Tyke excitedly. "It's pointing to the spot where the doubloons are buried."
They may have all been wiped out by some eruption, or they may have been so scared that they left the island for safer quarters." "I don't think we have much to worry about," remarked Tyke. "There ain't any doubt but this hill we're heading for has been at some time a volcano. But likely it's been quiet for hundreds of years.
"It was very inconsiderate of that old pirate not to tell exactly how tall he was," jested Ruth. "Well, we can't have everything handed to us on a gold plate," said the captain. "We may have to dig in a good many places before we strike the right spot." "Let's do this," suggested Tyke. "Each one of us men will mark off the paces, taking good long strides, an' see where we bring up.
But since ye take his part, deil a tyke shall meddle wi' him mair in my day. We 'll e'en mark him, and ca' him the Captain's brock; and I'm sure I'm glad I can do ony thing to oblige you, but, Lord save us, to care about a brock!
Tyke came up from below and joined Drew and the captain's daughter. The glare of the volcano illuminated the night, and they could see each other's features distinctly. "Looks like we'd stirred things up over there," chuckled the old man. "There are more'n ghosts of dead and gone pirates guarding that treasure." "It it is rather terrifying, isn't it?" Ruth suggested.
"You're a true sailor's daughter, Ruth. I'm proud of you, my dear." "Eleven," said Drew. "That leaves twenty-five on the ship, including Ditty." "Twenty-four," put in Tyke. "There's one less than there was a few minutes ago." "Yes," agreed the captain sadly. "And I've no doubt the poor fellow was killed because he wouldn't join the rest of the gang. Twenty-four, then.
"Well said, Mr. Campbell," answered the landlord; "I did not think thoud'st been sae near us, mon. But thou kens I'm an outspoken Yorkshire tyke. And how go markets in the south?" "Even in the ordinar," replied Mr. Campbell; "wise folks buy and sell, and fools are bought and sold."
The giant in the volcano was not dead. He was uneasy and had turned in his sleep. It was as though he resented the coming of these interlopers, and was giving them warning to go away and leave him undisturbed. "Now if I was superstitious," remarked Tyke, "I should say that something was trying to keep us from getting this treasure." "Let it try then," said the captain grimly.
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