easy. The difficulty we met with in starting, has
brought us home so late in the spring."

"Never mind the spring, Gar'ner; the part that is past is sartain to come
round ag'in, in due time. And so you found the very key that was described
by Daggett?"

"We did, sir; and just where he described it to be."

"And how about the tree, and the little hillock of sand, at its foot?"

"Both were there, deacon. The hillock must have grown a good deal, by
reason of the shifting sand; but, all things considered, the place was
well enough described."

"Well--well--well--you opened the hillock, of course!"

"We did, sir; and found the box mentioned by the pirate."

"A good large box, I'll warrant ye! Them pirates seldom do things by
halves--he! he! he!"

"I can't say much for the size of the box, deacon--it looked to me as if
it had once held window-glass, and that of rather small dimensions."

"But, the contents--you do not mention the contents."

"They are here, sir," taking a small bag from his pocket, and laying it on
the bed, by the deacon's side. "The pieces are all of gold, and there are
just one hundred and forty-three of them.--Heavy doubloons, it is true,
and I dare say well worth their 16 dollars each."

The deacon gave a gulp, as if gasping for breath, at the same time that he
clutched the bag. The next instant he was dead; and there is much reason
to believe that the demons who had watched him, and encouraged him in his
besetting sin, laughed at this consummation of their malignant arts! If
angels in heaven did not mourn at this characteristic departure of a frail
spirit from its earthly tenement, one who had many of their qualities did.
Heavy had been the load on Mary Pratt's heart, at the previous display of
her uncle's weakness, and profound was now her grief at his having made
such an end.

Chapter XXX.

4 _Cit_. We 'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Antony.
_Cit_. The will, the will; we will hear Caesar's will.
_Ant_. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.

_Julius Caesar._

There is usually great haste, in this country, in getting rid of the dead.
In no other part of the world, with which we are acquainted, are funerals
so simple, or so touching; placing the judgment and sins which lead to it,
in a far more conspicuous light than rank, or riches, or personal merits.
Scarfs and gloves are given in town, and gloves in the