ree golden
doubloons, all right, one apiece for ye! And here's ducats and silver
florins, and pieces of eight--and some I can't name till I get the daylight
on them. It's a pretty bit of treasure all told; and see here--" he held up
two old Spanish watches, just the thing for gentlemen adventurers.

We boys were now delving into the treasure on our own account, and brought
to light a brace of antiquated pistols, an old silver flagon, a compass, a
wonderful set of chess men carved from ivory, and some curious shells, that
delighted The Seraph. And other quaint things there were that we handled
reverently, and coins of different countries, square and round, and some
with holes bored through.

We were so intent upon our discovery that none of us heard the approaching
footsteps till they were fair upon us. Then, with a start, we turned, and
saw to our horror Mrs. Handsomebody and Mary Ellen, with her hair in
curl-papers, and, close behind them, Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer Pegg, scantily
attired, the gentleman carrying a revolver.

"David! John! Alexander!" gobbled Mrs. Handsomebody.

"Now what d'ye think of that!" came from Mary Ellen.

"Father! Have you gone quite mad?" cried Mrs. Pegg.

And--"Oh, I say Governor--" stammered the gentleman with the revolver.

Captain Pegg rose to his feet with dignity.

"These young gentlemen," he said, simply, "have with my help been able to
locate some buried treasure, stolen from me years ago by a man named Jenks,
and hidden here since two decades. I hereby renounce all claim to it in
favour of my three brave friends!"

Mr. Pegg was bent over the treasure.

"Now, look here, sir," he said, rather sharply, "some of this seems to be
quite valuable stuff--"

"I know the value of it to a penny," replied his father, with equal
asperity, "and I intend it shall belong solely and wholly to these boys."

"Whatever are you rigged up like that for?" demanded his daughter-in-law.

"As gentlemen of spirit," replied Captain Pegg, patiently, "we chose to
dress the part. We do what we can to keep a little glamour and gaiety in
the world. Some folk--" he looked at Mrs. Handsomebody--"would like to
discipline it all away."

"I think," said our governess, "that, considering it is _my_ back yard, I
have some claim to--"

"None at all, Madam--none at all!" interrupted Captain Pegg. "By all the
rules of treasure-hunting, the finder keeps the treasure."

Mrs. Handsomebody was silenced. She did not w