your instructions direct you to do?" demanded I.

"My instructions, is it?" repeated O'Gorman. "Oh, begorra, they're
simple enough. They say,"--here he paused, fumbled in his
breast-pocket, and presently produced the dirty, greasy slip of paper,
with the appearance of which I was now becoming familiar, and carefully
unfolding it, read:

"`Dhraw a loine from one black rock to the other, and on this loine
project another to the summit of the peak, makin' an angle of
sixty-foive degrees to the west'ard. Dig there, and,'--well, the rest
has got nothing to do with it."

"Um!" said I musingly; "I am not surprised to learn that none of you men
can understand such directions as those; I am not at all sure that I
understand them myself. At the same time there is hint enough to put me
on the right track. And now, O'Gorman," continued I, throwing all the
impressiveness I could muster into my manner, "I want you to listen to
me, and mark well what I say, for I am in downright earnest, and no
mistake. I gather, from the whole drift of this adventure, that your
object in coming here is to hunt for a certain buried treasure, the
hiding-place of which is indicated on that paper in your hand. Now, I
have brought you to this spot, and it is exceedingly probable that I may
be able to help you to find the treasure--if it is still where it was
originally hidden--while I am absolutely certain that you will _never_
find it without my help--and, when all is done, I can help you to convey
your booty successfully home. Now, understand me, I want no reward
whatever, either in the shape of a share of the treasure, or otherwise,
for affording you this assistance; but I tell you plainly that I will
have respectful treatment, and perfect freedom, both for myself and for
the lady, together with every one of those little comforts and
conveniences for which I have asked. Stop, I have not finished yet," I
continued, as I saw that he was about to bluster. "You have been
labouring under the delusion, all along, that Miss Onslow's presence
among us affords you an effective means of coercing me to do certain
things for you. Now, it is time that such an impression should be
removed. I am perfectly willing to help you in any and every way, so
long as we are both treated with civility and consideration; but if you,
or any one of your men, should dare to molest Miss Onslow in any way, or
show her the slightest incivility, from that moment I will c