for
he had eaten nothing since morning. The chair that had stood empty so
long was filled now, and the happiness that reigned under that little
roof was such as gold could not purchase.

CHAPTER XXXV.

HOW HE GOT AWAY FROM THE ISLAND.

When supper was over, Tite proceeded to give his parents an account of
the voyage, and the manner of escaping from the island with the
treasure. The reader has already heard that portion which carries the
story up to the death of old Dunman, the pirate. It will be only
necessary then to give that part of it which relates to what took place
afterward.

"Poor old Dunman," said Tite, "he was so kind to us all, and tried so
much to relieve our sufferings and make us feel contented that we all
liked him, and felt his death was a severe loss to us. There was
something so terrible in the story of his life that we used to talk
about it at night, and fancy all sorts of strange spirits haunting the
place where his money was buried. It was this that made us all impatient
to get away from the dreary place. Three or four days after we had
buried him, we removed the stones he said the gold was buried under, and
there found, as he had told us, bags and boxes of gold and silver, in
bars and coin of various kinds, heavy silver and gold ornaments that had
been plundered from churches and convents, with pearls and diamonds and
other precious stones, enough to fill two iron chests two feet square
and two feet deep. There was the thought that it was the price of so
much crime. And what good after all was this gold and silver to do us,
if we were to die on the island, like old Dunman? We divided it among
us, just as we would something of little value, not caring which got
the biggest portion. Then, after keeping out what we thought we might
want, each buried his part in separate spots, and marked the places with
piles of big stones.

"I always had a presentment that some vessel would come along, and
afford us the means of getting away; but after several months of
disappointment my companions began to despair, and saying they might as
well die one way as another, fitted up the boat, and with sails made of
prepared seal skins, and such scanty provisions as they could obtain,
set sail in search of an island described by old Dunman to be two
leagues distant, inhabited, and a place where whalers had been known to
touch. Each took two bags of gold with him, promising that if they were
successful they