an. It's worth the try, and I
think so much of it that if you say downright that you won't go I shall
see if I can find a trusty mate, and go myself. There, that's all."

Griggs threw himself back on his seat so as to get his back square
against the wall, tilting the stool on two legs, and looked sharply
round the table, and then at Wilton, who had risen and come round to him
to offer his hand.

The American looked at the long brown fingers and then up in their
owner's face.

"What's that for?" he said. "Want me to shake, and then go home,
because you're tired of me?"

"No," cried Wilton fiercely. "It's for you to give me yours. I say
you're right, Griggs. The place must be found, and I'll go with you to
work and fight, and through thick and thin, for I believe in you as a
true man. I'll go with you, and we'll find the treasure or come back,
worn out, to die."

"Not we!" cried the American, seizing Wilton's hand in his strong grip.
"I'm with you, to stick to you, Mister Wilton, like a brother man. I'm
ready to start with you to-morrow, if you like, if the doctor here will
hand over that dockyment.--Any more going on?"

The two boys sprang to their feet and looked at their fathers, who spoke
as one man. "Sit down, boys!" they cried.

"Why, you rash young reprobate," cried the doctor. "Do you mean to tell
me that you'd go off on this mad journey without asking my leave?"

"No, father, of course not. Ned wouldn't either without Mr Bourne's
consent; but I want to go with old Griggs, who has always been such a
good fellow to us, and I feel sure you and Mr Bourne both mean to go
too."

"What makes you say that, sir?" cried the doctor sternly.

"Oh, first because Mr Wilton's going, and you'd neither of you like him
to go without you."

"Any other reason, sir?"

"Yes, father. It seems to me that as we are going away to make a fresh
start, it would be much better to go in search of this treasure than to
be sailing straight back to England, not knowing what we should do when
we got there."

"Oh, that's what you think, is it, sir?" said the doctor.--"By your
leave, Bourne!--Now, Master Ned, pray what do you think about it all?"

"Oh," cried the boy addressed, speaking to the doctor, but looking hard
and searchingly in his father's face, "I want to go with Chris, of
course, and I think just the same as he does. Why, it would be grand,
Mr Lee. We should have no end of adventures, and see the beautiful