or him. He took his share to the Bermudas
and led such a gay life with it that he went mad and died after a year
or two. Hard-hearted William Phips was a man of another kind, and he
drove his crew of divers and wreckers, the sailors keeping busy on deck
at hammering from the silver bars a crust of limestone several inches
thick from which "they knocked out whole bushels of pieces of eight
which were grown thereinto. Besides that incredible treasure of plate
in various forms, thus fetched up from seven or eight fathoms under
water, there were vast riches of Gold, and Pearls, and Jewels, which
they also lit upon: and indeed for a more comprehensive invoice, I must
but summarily say, _All that a Spanish frigot was to be enriched
withal_."

At length the little squadron ran short of provisions, and most
reluctantly Captain Phips decided to run for England with his precious
cargo and return the next year. He swore all his men to secrecy,
believing that there was more good fishing at the wreck. During the
homeward voyage, his seamen quite naturally yearned for a share of the
profits, they having signed on for monthly wages. They were for taking
the ship "to be gone and lead a short life and a merry one," but Phips
argued them out of this rebellious state of mind, promising every man a
share of the silver, and if his employers would not agree to this, to
pay them from his own pocket.

Up the Thames sailed the lucky little merchantman, _James and Mary_ in
the year of 1687, with three hundred thousand pounds sterling
freightage of treasure in her hold, which would amount to a good deal
more than a million and a half dollars nowadays. Captain Phips played
fair with his seamen, and they fled ashore in the greatest good humor
to fling their pieces of eight among the taverns and girls of Wapping,
Limehouse, and Rotherhite. The King was given his tenth of the cargo,
and a handsome fortune it was. To Phips fell his allotted share of a
sixteenth, which set him up with sixteen thousand pounds sterling. The
Duke of Albemarle was so much gratified that he sent to that
"gentlewoman" Mrs. William Phips, a gold cup worth a thousand pounds.
Phips showed himself an honest man in age when sea morals were
exceeding lax, and not a penny of the treasure, beyond what was due
him, stuck to his fingers. Men of his integrity were not over
plentiful in England after the Restoration, and the King liked and
trusted this brusque, stalwart sai