're keen for that other treasure, now, eh?"

"I am," said I, rather stiffly.

"Well then, I'll go after it with you--on one condition. You can keep
the treasure, if you'll give me Tobias!"

"Give you Tobias?" I laughed.

"Yes! if you go after the treasure, he'll probably keep his word, and go
after you. Now it would do my heart good to get him, as you had the
chance of doing that afternoon. Whatever were you doing to miss him?"

"I proposed to myself the satisfaction of making good that mistake," I
said, "on our next meeting. I feel I owe it to the poor old captain."

"Never mind; hand the captain's rights over to me--and I'll help you all
I know with your treasure. Besides, Tobias is a job for an
Englishman--eh, John? It's a matter of 'King and Country' with me. With
you it would be mere private vengeance. With me it will be an execution;
with you it would be a murder. Isn't that so, John?"

"Exactly," John nodded.

"Since you were away," Charlie began again, "I've bought the prettiest
yawl you ever set eyes on--the _Flamingo_--forty-five over all, and this
time the very fastest boat in the harbour. Yes! she's faster even than
the _Susan B._ Now, I've a holiday due me in about a fortnight. Say the
word, and the _Flamingo's_ yours for a couple of months, and her captain
too. I make only that one condition."

"All right, Charlie," I agreed, "he's yours."

Whereat Charlie shot out a huge paw like a shoulder of mutton, and
grabbed my hand with as much fervour as though I had saved his life, or
done him some other unimaginable kindness. And, as he did so, his old
broad sweet smile came back again. He was thinking of Tobias.

CHAPTER II

_In Which I Learn Something._

While Charlie Webster was arranging his affairs so that he might be able
to take his holiday with a free mind, I busied myself with provisioning
the _Flamingo,_ and in casually chatting with one and another along the
water front, in the hope of gathering some hint that might guide us on
our coming expedition. I thought it possible, too, that chance might
thus bring me some information as to the recent movements of Tobias.

In this way, I made the acquaintance of several old salts, both white
and black, one or two of whom time and their neighbours had invested
with a legendary savour of the old "wrecking days," which, if rumour
speaks true, are not entirely vanished from the remoter corners of the
islands. But either their romantic haloes