I took up one or two of the
books and opened them, but could make nothing of their contents, they
being in Spanish, which was all but a sealed language to me. The book-
case was full of books from top to bottom, so it was clear that it was
useless to look there for the documents I desired to find; I therefore
turned to the next nearest object, which was the writing-table. This
was fitted with a sloping top that evidently lifted, and a nest of
capacious drawers occupied the back of the affair, above the writing-
desk, while a large cupboard on each side formed the base, with room for
a man's legs between the two. I tried the top, the cupboards, and the
drawers, but all were locked; and the article was so solidly constructed
that I at once saw it would be useless to think of breaking it open
without proper tools. I therefore sang out to the two men on deck to
take the boat and return to the schooner for the carpenter, bidding him
bring with him everything necessary to pick a number of locks, or
otherwise open some drawers and cupboards. And while the boat was gone
I turned my attention to the dressing-table.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

HOARD COMMUNICATES TO ME SOME VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

This, too, was a very substantial and handsomely made piece of
furniture, the material being Spanish mahogany. But, unlike the
writing-table, all its drawers were unlocked; and, opening them one
after the other, I found them to be full of apparel: shirts of finest
linen, silk stockings, a brand-new suit of uniform, coats, breeches--in
short everything necessary to complete the toilet of a man in the very
pink of fashion. And, hanging by its belt from one of several brass
hooks screwed to the bulkhead, I saw a very handsome sword with a gold
hilt. This I took down and examined, drawing the weapon from its sheath
to do so. The blade proved to be of Toledo make, a magnificent piece of
steel, so elastic that by exerting a considerable amount of strength I
succeeded in bringing the point and hilt together, and when I released
it, the blade at once straightened itself out again as perfectly as
before my experiment. The steel was elaborately damascened with a most
beautiful and intricate pattern in gold, and altogether the weapon so
irresistibly took my fancy that I unhesitatingly appropriated it
forthwith. The shirts and stockings, too, and a few other articles of
clothing that looked as if they would fit me, promised to make