u for all your kindness; and to show you that we are not
ungrateful, I have to tell you how you can become a rich man in a few
hours, without much trouble."

On this Bill described how they had found the smuggler's treasure.

Captain Turgot and the dame held up their hands, uttering various
exclamations which showed their surprise, mixed with no little doubt as
to whether Bill had not been dreaming.

He assured them that he was stating a fact, and offered, if Captain
Turgot and Pierre would accompany him, to show them the place, as he
thought that there would be time before daylight, when he and Jack had
determined to set sail.

"I am sure he's speaking the truth," cried Jeannette; "and it's very
kind and generous of you, Bill, to tell us of the treasure, when you
might have carried it off yourself. I know of the cave, for I saw it
once, when I was very nearly caught by the tide and drowned, though I
don't think many people about here are acquainted with it; and very few,
if any, have gone into the interior."

Captain Turgot and Pierre confessed that they had never seen it, though
they had gone up and down the coast so often; but then, on account of
the rocks, they had always kept a good distance out.

At last Bill and Jeannette persuaded them that there really was such a
cave; but on considering the hour, they came to the conclusion that the
tide would come in before they could make their escape from it, and they
would prefer going when the tide had again made out. Bill, they
thought, would only just have time to get on board the vessel, if he was
determined to go.

"But if you have so much gold, you could purchase a good boat," said
Captain Turgot; "and that would be much better than making your voyage
on a raft."

Bill acknowledged that such might be the case, but he was unwilling to
risk any further delay. He trusted to his friends' honour to let him go
as he had determined. He had come of his own accord to bid them
farewell, and they would not really think of detaining him against his
will.

The fact, however, was that Captain Turgot doubted very much the truth
of Bill's story. Had any band of smugglers possessed a hiding-place on
that part of the coast, he thought that he should have known it, and he
fancied that the young Englishman must in some way or other have been
deceived.

"Where is the gold you speak of?" he asked. "You surely must have
secured some for yourself."

Bill replied that Ja