ued, failed to reveal any sign of the object so eagerly sought,
although the water was perfectly calm.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN PHIPS THREATENS TO SAIL AWAY FROM THE MUTINEERS.]

At length; a curious sea-plant cropping out of a crevice in the sides
of the reef caught the eye of one of the crew, and he sent down an
Indian to bring it up. When the diver returned to the surface he
reported that he had seen a number of brass cannon lying tangled among
the sea-weed on a ledge. That was enough. Inspired with the greatest
enthusiasm, diver after diver plunged below to be the first to discover
the treasure, and ere long one of them brought up an ingot of silver
worth several hundred pounds. Transported with success they left a buoy
to mark the spot, and made all sail to carry the glad tidings to Phips.
He would not credit the tale until he had seen the ingot, when he
exclaimed, "Thanks be to God, we are all made!"

Every man was at once enlisted in the service of fishing for the
treasure. The bullion was discovered first; after that, in the bottom
of the hold, the sea-miners found the coin in bags, which had been so
long under water that they were encrusted with a stony shell, hard as
rock. This was broken with crowbars, revealing gold, jewels, and
"pieces of eight," in glittering abundance. The last day's work brought
to light twenty massive silver ingots, and the whole amount recovered
was somewhat over three hundred thousand pounds, a sum equal in the
values of our time to five millions of dollars. Nor was this all the
riches concealed in the wreck; but Phips was obliged to return to
England before completing the business. Provisions had run low, and the
presence of so vast a treasure on board had stimulated the cupidity of
the crew to a dangerous degree, so that each day of delay in reaching
port was full of hazard. Every precaution was taken to guard the
treasure, but what probably prevented the crew from rising was the
promise Phips gave them, when matters had become most suspicious, that
they should each receive a share of the profits in addition to his
wages, even if his own portion were thus swallowed up. Phips reached
England without mishap, thus bringing to a successful termination one
of the most daring exploits of its sort that were ever attempted.

When the profits were divided, Phips received as his share a sum that
would now be equal to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Duke
of Albemarle presented Mr