ng possession of his
private hoard of treasure, which naturally led to an arrangement being
made for an early visit to its hiding place. This hiding place, it
appeared, was situated in a large natural cavern in a secluded spot on
the shore of the bay, and was the spot wherein Ricardo had originally
found it hidden. To me, this had a sound of very great insecurity; but
Lotta informed me that, so far was this from being the case that, well
as she knew the locality of the cavern, she was often greatly puzzled to
find the entrance.

At length, on a certain afternoon we two set off to find this mysterious
hiding place and inspect the treasure, which, according to Lotta's
description, promised to be of absolutely fabulous value. We passed
down through the garden for almost its entire length, then bore away
through a side path to the left, in order, as my companion explained,
that we might avoid the "shipyard" and, more particularly, the men
working therein. Ricardo had most rigorously enjoined Lotta, on several
occasions, never to expose herself to the view of these men, or in any
wise remind them of her presence in the settlement. But, to speak the
truth, I am very strongly inclined to believe that, at all events on
this particular occasion, Lotta was very much more anxious for my safety
than she was for her own. Be that as it may, we avoided the shipyard by
the simple process of passing along the back of it, through Ricardo's
private garden; and I am compelled to say that I was astonished beyond
measure at the completeness of the establishment, as I then saw it for
the first time. It was a perfect dockyard in miniature, with
warehouses, capstan-house, mast house, rigging shed, sail loft--in fact
every possible requisite for keeping not only one but as many as three
or four craft in perfect order. And, from what I saw in passing, I
judged that there must be at least fifty men regularly employed about
the place! No wonder that the _Barracouta_ was a busy ship, and her
depredations of the most extensive character; they would need to be to
maintain adequately such an establishment in working order.

Upon leaving the precincts of the garden we plunged into a wood that
completely veiled our movements from the men working in the yard, and
upon emerging from it we found ourselves at the edge of a low cliff,
down the face of which a path zigzagged to the beach. The yard now was
completely hidden from us--and we from it--b