Chairman, "but if we could be of
any service----"

"Of course!" cried Toby. "You've got to help us get the treasure out of
the cave, and then help us to find the City of Towers. And if you'll
help us, why what I say is, the Committee ought to have a share of the
treasure. Is that right?"

Toby's friends willingly agreed, and the Committee gladly consented to
go with them to the Treasure Cave and then to the City of Towers.

"The Society for Piratical Research," said the Third Vice-President, "is
coming back to life! We now have a Museum with one Exhibit, and we are
about to acquire a Fund of Money. Come, my friends, it is time to
depart. If you will go out first, I will remain and blow out the
candles. We must remember to close the door behind us, for a draught of
air would probably blow the late Mr. Matthew Speak out of the window."

In a few moments the whole party was standing in the moonlight on the
grass before the deserted tower of Low Dudgeon. Not quite deserted,
however; in every mind was a picture of a misty and vapory form,
remotely in the shape of a man, sitting motionless in a chair beside a
table in a dark and silent room.

"All right," said Toby, "now for the Treasure Cave and the City of
Towers."

CHAPTER XX

THE CITY OF TOWERS

At the Pirates' Cave, the task of getting out the treasure proved very
difficult, but it was done at last.

The Committee's camp in the forest had supplied abundance of provisions,
and a great number of animals; the Committee traveled in luxury.

On the level ground where Mr. Hanlon had given his exhibition of
head-work, the toilers were now resting in the hot sun, and drying their
garments, thoroughly soaked by their trips in and out of the cave, under
the water-fall. They looked with intense delight on the boxes and bags
which lay before them.

"What I say is," said Toby, "let's divide the treasure now, so we won't
have to bother about it when we get to the City of Towers."

"How beautiful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Behold that wide
expanse of field and forest resting so--so--expansively beneath the orb
of day! A true, true work of nature! At such a moment as this, dear
friends, a warm feeling invades my heart, a feeling of--of--Did I hear a
suggestion to divide the treasure?"

The division was carefully made, and when it was done, and each person
had declared himself well satisfied, each share was packed separately,
and the treasure loaded on