e-wood stumps," one
began to suspect Henry P. Tobias of having been a humourist, and to
wonder whether John Saunders was not right after all, and the whole
manuscript merely a hoax for the benefit of buried-treasure cranks like
myself.

However, as the high points of the island were only seven in all, it was
no difficult matter to try them all out, one by one, as we had plenty of
time and plenty of hands for the work. For, of course, it would have
been idle to attempt any concealment of my object from the crew.
Therefore, I took them from their shell-gathering, and, having duly
measured out twenty feet south from each promising cabbage-wood stump,
set them to work. They worked with a will, for I promised them a
generous share of whatever we found.

Alas! it was an inexpensive promise, for, when we had duly turned up the
ground, not only twenty feet, but thirty, forty, and fifty feet, not
only south but north, east and west of the various cabbage-wood stumps
on the seven various eminences, we were none of us the richer by a
single piece of eight. Then we tried the other cabbage-wood stumps on
lower ground, and any other likely looking spots, till, after working
for nearly a fortnight, we must have dug up most of the island.

And then Tom came to me with the news that our provisions were beginning
to give out. As it was, he said, before we returned to Nassau, we should
have to put in at Flying Fish Cove--a small settlement on the larger
island some five miles to the nor'ard,--for the purchase of various
necessities.

"All right, Tom," I said, "I guess the game is up! Let's start out
to-morrow morning."

And then I betook myself, like the great philosopher, to gathering
shells on the sea-shore, finding some specimens which, to my unlearned
eye, seemed identical with that shell so dear to the learned
conchologist's heart.

The following afternoon we put in at Flying Fish Cove, a neat little
settlement, with a pretty show of sponging craft at anchor, a few
prosperous-looking houses on the hill-side, and a sprinkling of white,
or half-white, people in the streets. I instructed Tom and the Captain
to stock in whatever we needed. We would lie there that night, and in
the morning we would make a start, homeward-bound, for Nassau.

"You may as well have your sucking fish back, Tom," I said, laughing in
self-disgust. "I shall have no more need of it. I am through with
treasure-hunting."

"I'd keep it a little longer, sa