he time but children, and like children
they all talked at once; and there was laughter and thumping of fists
and clapping of hands. The admiral had a new plan every five minutes.
He would do this, or he would do that; and Fitzgerald would shake his
head, or Breitmann would point out the feasibility of the plan. Above
all, he urged, there must be no publicity (with a flash toward
Fitzgerald); the world must know nothing till the treasure was in their
hands. Otherwise, there would surely be piracy on the high-seas. Two
million francs was a prize, even in these days. There were plenty of
men and plenty of tramp ships. Even when they found the gold, secrecy
would be best. There might be some difficulty with France. Close
lips, then, till they returned to America; after that Mr. Fitzgerald
would become famous as the teller of the exploit.

"I confess that, for all my excitement," said Fitzgerald, "I am
somewhat skeptical. Still, your suggestion, Mr. Breitmann, is good."

"Do you mean to say you doubt the existence of the treasure?" cried the
admiral, something impatient.

"Oh, no doubt it once existed. But seventy-five or eighty years!
There were others besides this refugee Frenchman. Who knows into what
hands similar documents may have fallen?"

"And the unknown man who worked in the chimney?" put in the girl
quietly.

"That simply proves what I say. He knows that this treasure once
existed, but not where. Now, it is perfectly logical that some other
man, years ago, might have discovered the same key as we have. He may
have got away with it. The man might have plausibly declared that he
had made the money somewhere. The sum is not so large as to create any
wide comment."

"Ah, my boy, your father had more enthusiasm than that." The admiral
looked reproachful.

"My dear admiral," and Fitzgerald laughed in that light-hearted way of
his, "I would go into the heart of China on a treasure hunt, for the
mere fun of it. Enthusiasm? Nothing would gratify me more than to
strike a shovel into the spot where this treasure, this pot of gold, is
supposed to lie. It will be great sport; nothing like it. I was
merely supposing. I have never heard of, or come into contact with, a
man who has found a hidden treasure. I am putting up these doubts
because we are never sure of anything. Why, Mr. Breitmann knows; isn't
it more fun to find a dollar in an old suit of clothes than to know you
have ten in the suit