"Hassan," I said to our guide as he rested before us in the shade of the
tent, "what was it those coolies lying under the trees yonder told you
about Formosa?"

"The sahib shall hear," replied the Arab. "They wish to persuade the
Englishmen to hire their junk to visit the island, for they learnt from
me that we have met with many strange experiences during our wanderings.
They declare that what may be seen in one part of it is almost beyond
belief."

"Never mind what they say," I expostulated, "go on and tell us about the
island. There ought to be some story concerning it to interest us,
considering that the Spaniards, the Dutch, and the Chinese have all
possessed it in turn. It is quite notorious for the shipwrecks on its
coast, not to mention the pirates who have held it at different times,
and the savage tribes said to inhabit its wildest parts."

"Ye shall hear the story, strange indeed as it is," responded the Arab;
"and, besides, it partly concerns a Feringhee sailor."

"Well, go on with your yarn, Hassan," said Denviers. "What a nigger you
are for trying to excite our interest before you really tell us
anything."

"The sahib does not give his slave a chance to continue, but makes
always a most indifferent listener," replied the Arab gravely; "and yet
the great Mahomet has said that he who is impatient----"

"The story!" I interposed. "Go on, Hassan, you can tell us about Mahomet
some other day." Thus abjured, the Arab, after being silent for a few
minutes, related to us the strange events which followed the quest of
the lost galleon.

Soon after our adventure with the Hunted Tribe of Three Hundred Peaks we
left Siam, and sailing through the China Sea made for Hong Kong. Thence
we set out to traverse a part of the coast of China, and at this time
our tent was pitched not far from Swatow. There Hassan held a
conversation with some coolies, when, from the various excited
exclamations and gestures both of them and the Arab, my interest was
roused sufficiently to question our guide, as narrated. As it afterwards
transpired, the coolies had moved away a little only to await our
decision, and were resting patiently meanwhile under the shade of a huge
umbrella in addition to that afforded by the pine clump.

[Illustration: "THE SPANISH GALLEON."]

"Many years ago," began Hassan, "when the far-off people of Spain ruled
a great continent, a galleon laden heavily with treasure wrung from the
natives set out to r