nks."

We could see it plainly by the moonlight, all neatly drawn out, even to the
ash barrel and the clothes dryer, and there, on the fifth plank from the
end was a cross in red ink, and beside it the magic word--Treasure!

Captain Pegg inserted the crowbar in a wide crack between the fourth and
fifth boards, then we all pressed our full weight upon it with a "Yo heave
ho, my hearties!" from our chief.

The board flew up and we flew down, sprawling on the ground. Somehow the
Captain, versed in such matters, kept his feet, though he staggered a bit.

Then, in an instant, we were pulling wildly at the plank to dislodge it.
This we accomplished after much effort, and a dark, dank recess was
disclosed.

Captain Pegg dropped to his knees and with his hand explored cautiously
under the planks. His face fell.

"Shiver my timbers if I can find it!" he muttered.

"Let me try!" I cried eagerly.

Both Angel and I thrust our hands in also and fumbled among the moist lumps
of earth. I felt an earth-worm writhe away.

Captain Pegg now lighted a match and held it in the aperture. It cast a
glow upon our tense faces.

"Hold it closer!" implored Angel. "This way--right here--don't you see?"

At the same moment we both had seen the heavy metal ring that projected,
ever so little, above the surface of the earth. We grasped it
simultaneously and pulled. Captain Pegg lighted another match. It was
heavy--oh, so heavy!--but we got it out--a fair-sized leather bag bound
with thongs. To one of these was attached the ring we had first caught
sight of.

Now, kneeling as we were, we stared up in Captain Pegg's face. His wide,
blue eyes had somehow got a different look.

"Little boys," he said gently, "open it!"

There in the moonlight, we unloosed the fastenings of the bag and turned
its contents out upon the bare boards. The treasure lay disclosed then, a
glimmering heap, as though, out of the dank earth, we had digged a patch of
moonshine.

We squatted on the boards around it, our heads touching, our wondering eyes
filled with the magic of it.

"It is the treasure," murmured Angel, in an awe-struck voice, "real
treasure-trove. Will you tell us, Captain Pegg, what all these things are?"

Captain Pegg, squatting like the rest of us, ran his hands meditatively
through the strange collection.

"Why, strike me purple," he growled, "if that scamp Jenks hasn't kept most
of the gold coins and left us only the silver! But here's th