hen," said Croyden.

"Bosh!" Macloud answered. "I've got more money than I want, let me have
some fun with the excess, Croyden. And this promises more fun than I've
had for a year--hunting a buried treasure, within sight of Maryland's
capital. Moreover, it won't likely be out of reach of your own
pocketbook, this can't be very valuable land." He remounted his horse.
"Let us ride around over the intended site, and prospect--we may
discover something."

But, though, they searched for an hour, they were utterly unsuccessful.
The four beech trees had disappeared as completely as though they never
were.

"I'm perfectly confident, however," Macloud remarked as they turned
away toward town, "that somewhere, within the lines of your proposed
lot, lie the Parmenter jewels. Now, for the lot. Once you have title to
it, you may plow up the whole thing to any depth you please, and no one
may gainsay you."

"I'm not so sure," replied Croyden. "My knowing that the treasure was
on it when purchased, may make me liable to my grantor for an
accounting."

"But you don't _know_!" objected Macloud.

"Yet, I have every reason to believe--the letter is most specific."

"Suppose, after you've paid a big price for the land, you don't find
the treasure, could you make him take it back and refund the purchase
money?"

"No, most assuredly, no," smiled Croyden.

"Mighty queer doctrine! You must account for what you find--if you
don't find it, you must keep the land, anyway. The other fellow wins
whatever happens."

"It's predicated on the proposition that I have knowingly deceived him
into selling something for nothing. However, I'm not at all clear about
it; and we will buy if we can--and take the chances. But we won't go to
work with a brass band, old man."

At the top of the hill, beyond the Severn, there was a road which took
off to the left.

"This parallels the road by the Marine Barracks, suppose we turn in
here," Macloud said. "It probably goes through the Academy grounds."

A little way on, they passed what was evidently a fine hospital, with
the United States flag flying over it. Just beyond, occupying the point
of land where College Creek empties into the Severn, was the Naval
Cemetery.

"Very fitting!" Croyden laughed. "They have the place of interment
exceedingly handy to the hospital. What in thunder's that?" he asked,
indicating a huge dome, hideously ornate with gold and white, that
projected above the trees, som