blithe spirits and thankful to have seen the last of Blackbeard.

"Hulled in the leg and a damaged figger-head," said Joe, as he sat on
the edge of the hero's bunk. "Triflin', I call it, when I expected to
see you come aboard feet first wrapped in a bit o' canvas."

"I don't want to talk about it, Joe. Let's find something pleasant. Ho
for Charles Town, and the green trees and a bench in the shade."

"And a tidy little vessel after a while, you and me and the Councilor
a-pleasurin' up the coast with men and gear to fish up the treasure
chest."

"And you believe that Blackbeard never got back to the Inlet to save the
treasure for himself?" asked Jack.

"Not the way his ship was headed when she struck the shoal."

The brigantine was well on her way to Charles Town when Captain Wellsby
found that Master Cockrell could be carried into the comfortable main
cabin to rest on a cushioned settle for an hour or two at a time. It was
during one of these visits, when Joe Hawkridge was present, that the
skipper remembered to say:

"Here is a bit of memorandum which may entertain you lads. Lieutenant
Maynard had Blackbeard's quarters searched before the brig was burned.
Some valuable stuff was found, but nothing what you'd call a pirate's
treasure."

The lads looked at each other but kept their own counsel and Captain
Wellsby went on to explain:

"There was a private log, Blackbeard's own journal, with a few entries
in it, and most of the leaves torn out. I made a copy of what could be
read, for the late Captain Teach was a better pirate than scrivener.
Here, Jack, you are the scholar."

Jack read aloud this extract, which was about what might have been
expected:

"_Such a day! Rum all out,--our company somewhat sober. A confusion
amongst us,--rogues a-plotting--great talk of separation. So I looked
sharp for a prize. Took one, with a great deal of liquor on board, so
kept the company hot, very hot. Then all things went well again._"

"That sounds familiar enough to me," was Joe Hawkridge's comment. "And
the rest of his writing will be much like it."

"Not so fast," exclaimed Captain Wellsby. "Scan the next page, Jack.
'Twill fetch you up all standing. Not that it puts gold in our pockets,
for we know not where to search, but I swear it will make your eyes
sparkle and your mouth water."

Trying to hide his excitement, Jack saw a kind of rough inventory, and
it ran like this:

"Where I Hid Itt This Cruse: