ke hands on that, Axtell, if you please," he said; "and, if
we recover what Parmenter buried, you'll not regret it."

The following morning saw them down at the Point with the equipage and
other paraphernalia. The men, whom they had brought from Annapolis for
the purpose, pitched the tents under the trees, ditched them, received
their pay, climbed into the wagons and rumbled away to town--puzzled
that anyone should want to camp on Greenberry Point when they had the
price of a hotel, and three square meals a day.

"It looks pretty good," said Croyden, when the canvases were up and
everything arranged--"and we shan't lack for the beautiful in nature.
This is about the prettiest spot I've ever seen, the Chesapeake and the
broad river--the old town and the Academy buildings--the warships at
anchor--the _tout ensemble!_ We may not find the treasure, but, at
least, we've got a fine camp--though, I reckon, it is a bit breezy when
the wind is from the Bay."

"I wonder if we should have paid our respects to the Superintendent
before poaching on his preserves?" said Macloud.

"Hum--hadn't thought of that!" Croyden answered. "Better go in and show
ourselves to him, this afternoon. He seems to be something of a
personage down here, and we don't want to offend him. These naval
officers, I'm told, are sticklers for dignity and the prerogatives due
their rank."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Macloud. "On that score, we've got some rank
ourselves to uphold."

"What!" said Croyden.

"Certainly! the Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, of the
United States Senate, is with us. According to the regulations, is it
his duty to call _first_ on the Superintendent?--that's the point."

"Give it up!" laughed Croyden. "However, the Superintendent has a copy
of the letter, and he will know the ropes. We will wait a day, then, if
he's quiescent, it's up to us."

"Great head!" laughed Macloud. "You should have been a diplomat,
Croyden--nothing less than an Ambassadorship for you, my boy!"

Croyden smiled.

"A motor boat would be mighty convenient to go back and forth to
Annapolis," he said. "Look at the one cutting through the water there,
midway across!"

It came nearer, halted a little way off in deep water, and an officer
in uniform swept the tents and them with a glass. Then the boat put
about and went chugging upstream.

"We didn't seem to please him," remarked Macloud, gazing after the
boat. Suddenly it turned in toward shore an