mysterious and superior smile.

"Cap'n Sproul," said he, "in your seafarin' days didn't you used to
hear the sailormen sing this?" and he piped in weak falsetto:

"Oh, I've been a ghost on Cod Lead Nubble,
Sence I died--sence I died.
I buried of it deep with a lot of trouble,
And the chist it was in was locked up double,
And I'm a-watchin' of it still on Cod Lead Nubble,
Sence I died--sence I died."

"It's the old Cap Kidd song," admitted the Cap'n, a gleam of new
interest in his eyes.

"As a seafarin' man you know that there was a Cap'n Kidd, don't you?"

Cap'n Sproul wagged nod of assent.

"He sailed and he sailed, and he robbed, and he buried his treasure,
ain't that so?"

"I believe that's the idea," said the Cap'n, conservatively.

"And it's still buried, because it ain't been dug up, or else we'd
have heard of it. Years ago I read all that hist'ry ever had to say
about it. I said then to myself, 'Bodge,' says I, 'if the treasure
of old Cap Kidd is ever found, it will be you with your wonderful
powers that will find it!' I always said that to myself. I know it
now. Here's the tool." He shook the cow's horn under the Cap'n's nose.

"Why ain't you been down and dug it up?" asked Hiram, with cold
practicality.

"Diggin' old Cap Kidd's treasure ain't like digging a mess of
potaters for dinner, Mr. Look. The song says 'Cod Lead Nubble.' Old
Cap Kidd composed that song, and he put in the wrong place just to
throw folks off'm the track. But if I had capital behind me I'd hire
a schooner and sail round them islands down there, one after the
other; and with that power that's in me I could tell the right island
the minute I got near it. Then set me ashore and see how quick this
divinin'-rod would put me over that chist! But it's buried deep. It's
goin' to take muscle and grit to dig it up. But the right crew can
do it--and that's where capital comes in. Capital ain't ever tackled
it right, and that's why capital ain't got hold of that treasure."

"I reckon I'll be movin' along," remarked Hiram, with resentment
bristling the horns of his mustache; "it's the first time I ever had
a man pick me out as a candidate for a gold brick, and the feelin'
ain't a pleasant one."

But the Cap'n grasped his arm with detaining grip.

"This thing is openin' up. It ain't all clear, but it's openin'. I
had instink that I could use him. But I couldn't figger it. It ain't
all straightened out in my mi