all events, some
months afterward, the New Yorker disappeared as he had come, and has not
been heard from since. But since then, they have found a sort of brick
vault over there which has evidently been excavated. I have seen it
myself. A sort of walled chamber. There, it's supposed, the New Yorker
found something or other--"

"An old tomb, most likely," interrupted John, sceptically. "There are
some like that over at Spanish Wells."

"Maybe," said Charlie, "but that's the story for what it's worth."

As Charlie finished, John slapped his knee.

"The very thing for you!" he said, "why have I never thought of it
before?"

"What do you mean, John?" we both asked.

"Why, down at the office, I've got the very thing. A pity I haven't got
it here. You must come in and see it to-morrow."

And he took a tantalising sip of his port.

"What on earth is it? Why do you keep us guessing?"

"Why, it's an old manuscript."

"An old manuscript!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, an old document that came into my hands a short time ago. Charlie,
you remember old Wicks--old Billy Wicks--'Wrecker' Wicks, they called
him--"

"I should say I do. A wonderful old villain--"

"One of the greatest characters that ever lived. Oh, and shrewd as the
devil. Do you remember the story about his--"

"But the document, for heaven's sake," I said. "The document first; the
story will keep."

"Well, they were pulling down Wicks's own house just lately, and out of
the rafters there fell a roll of paper--now, I'm coming to it--a roll of
paper, purporting to be the account of the burying of a certain
treasure, telling the place where it is buried, and giving directions
for finding it--"

Charlie and I exclaimed together; and John continued, with tantalising
deliberation.

"It's in the safe, down at the office; you shall see it to-morrow. It's
a statement purporting to be made by some fellow on his deathbed--some
fellow dying out in Texas--a quondam pirate, anxious to make his peace
at the end, and to give his friends the benefit of his knowledge."

"O John!" said I, "I sha'n't sleep a wink to-night."

"I don't take much stock in it," said John. "I'm inclined to think it's
a hoax. Some one trying to fool the old fellow. If there'd been any
treasure, I guess one could have trusted old 'Wrecker' Wicks to get
after it.... But, boys, it's bed-time, anyhow. Come down to the office
in the morning and we'll look it over."

So our meeting broke up for th