pick it up?"

"Guess I will," replied Tom shamefacedly. "I was in a hurry."

"What is it?" asked Harry. "Let me see it."

"Sure, read it," Tom answered. "Read it aloud and we'll all hear."

"What's this?" gasped Harry. "Listen, you fellows! Here's the secret of
the whole thing! Hear this!"

"Well, read it," impatiently cried Arnold. "I'm dying to hear."

"Get the Fortuna and crew!" read Harry. "They know about the Spanish
Chest. They're after it. Sink them if you have to."

As he finished reading he glanced at each of his chums in amazement.
Their faces were pictures of dismay and amazement.

"What does that mean?" Arnold cried in tones of wonder. "What does it
mean when it says, 'Get the Fortuna and crew?'"

"The last part explains that," answered Jack. "It means that some one or
more people are after us and will sink the Fortuna if they have to in
order to 'get' us. It listens like desperate characters were following
us all right. We must remember our motto, boys, and 'Be Prepared.' We
know they're after us."

"Yes, 'Be Prepared' for what?" questioned Tom. "Who're after us and why?
What does that mean about the Spanish Chest?"

"I see it's time to let you fellows in on the whole thing," declared
Jack. "I had hoped it would not be necessary to say anything for a long
while yet for the moon isn't full until nearly a week from now, but this
has precipitated matters. Now, listen!

"You all know Lawyer Geyer of Chicago. His offices are in the Masonic
Temple. He and my father are very close friends--in fact they were
schoolmates. Lawyer Geyer offered me a commission for him and fitted out
this vessel and is paying our expenses. He also offered us half the
reward if we were successful."

"What reward?" interrupted Arnold. "Why don't you hurry?"

"Keep still, rattle-head!" admonished Tom. "He's hurrying."

"Well," continued Jack, "it is said that years and years ago the
Spaniards had a fortress built on what is known as Biloxi Bay. It seems
they wanted to fortify this section of country and built a fine place
there. As time went on and the country became settled, this fort was
quite a refuge for settlers in times of trouble. It is said that once a
commander of the fort was wicked enough to turn against his own people
and that he incited the Indians to rise against the settlers. After they
had taken refuge in the fort he got them to put all their gold and
jewelry into his strong box which was a stout oak chest