es"--careless and casual as he
fondly believed it to be, but actually exceedingly clumsy--had in an
instant driven home to Leslie's mind the conviction that somehow or
other this man had become possessed of information of the existence of
the treasure on this island, _and had come to take it away_! By what
circuitous chain of events the information had fallen into the fellow's
hands it was of course quite impossible to guess; but that this was the
explanation of everything Dick was fully convinced. And now that he
possessed the clue he could not only guard his own tongue against the
betrayal of information, but could also doubtless so order his remarks
as to extort from some one or another of his visitors all the details
that he himself might require. So, in reply to Turnbull's last remark,
he said carelessly--

"Caves! oh, really I don't know; very possibly there may be--unless the
earthquake has shaken them all in and filled them up--"

"Earthquake!" roared Turnbull, in tones of mingled rage and
consternation; "you don't mean to say as you've had a hearthquake here,
do ye?"

"Certainly," answered Dick, with as much _sang-froid_ as though an
earthquake were a mere pleasant interlude in an otherwise monotonous
life; "it occurred about three months ago, and gave the place a pretty
severe shaking up, I can assure you. It also started that volcano into
activity again after ages of quiescence."

"The mischief!" ejaculated Turnbull, with manifest discomposure. "I
must go ashore at once!"

"I am afraid," said Leslie, gently, "that my mention of the earthquake
and its possible effect upon the caves of the island has somewhat upset
you. Are you going ashore in the hope of finding any particular cave?
If so, I shall be most happy to assist you in your search."

"Assist! I'll be--I mean of course not," exclaimed Turnbull, beginning
with a savage bellow and suddenly calming himself again. "What d'ye
s'pose a man like me wants to go pokin' about ashore there, huntin'
after caves for? I've somethin' else to do. I've come in here because
our fresh water's turned bad, and I thought that maybe I might be able
to renew my stock, I s'pose there's fresh water to be had on the
island?"

"Certainly," answered Leslie; "there is a most excellent supply, and
quite accessible to your boats. It lies over there," pointing toward
Mermaid Head; "and falls over a low ledge of rock into deep-water. You
can go alongside the rock a