'boud dat treasure--an' proud 'boud dem ole cannon. T'ink of dat
little chap weatherin' de big sto'm wid me. He was the stuff--"

Narcisse reached over and clutched timidly at the Captain's leg. "Ain't
dere--no chance--lef'?" he begged.

Tony started, and gazed at the boy and tried to speak, but his voice
broke into a sob. He reached over and patted Narcisse. "He--he comin'
out," he said. "He be all right. I couldn' get long widout him."

Narcisse shrank back again, the better part of him ashamed to receive
Tony's kindness. A moment later he crept past and went on deck. A few of
the men still hovered around Bascom, who lay on the deck, very white,
very sick, very washed-looking, but open-eyed and breathing. Most of
them, however, were busy again, at the windlass, and were just hauling
up the last gun. It had to be lifted before the treasure could be gotten
out, but no time was given to it after it was landed on the deck. Only
Bascom, who, in spite of his weakness, wanted to be where he could watch
the raising of the treasure, was brought and pillowed on it, an old
tarpaulin being folded over to keep him from feeling the shells.

The chest had been so deeply bedded under the gun that it was the
hardest of all to raise; but at last it began to come, and Bascom
struggled up from his gun to watch it swing, dripping, to the deck. It
was wooden, oblong in shape, and very heavy; the edges were worn off and
crumbling.

"If it hadn' been covered so deep it wouldn' have keep so well as it
has," said Captain Lazare, waving the other men back, but trying not to
look eager or excited.

Captain Tony bent over it with him. "I doan' see the fastenin'," he
said. "I guess we cut into him. It will be ver' easy at dis end." And he
began chipping where the wood was most decayed.

It was the only thing to do, and yet, as the men stood with gaping
mouths waiting for the lid to yield, Bascom felt a new ache at his heart
to see the uncouth relic damaged. A great chunk of it gave way, and
every one bent forward. Still there was nothing to be seen but wood.
Lazare caught the axe from Tony's hand and gave the thing a mighty blow
that sent a dull rent through it. He pried it apart with the blade and
laid it open. He had split in two a block of solid wood.

"It--it was one of the old gun-carriages!" cried Bascom, and sank back
upon his austere pillow.

Captain Tony lifted his cap a little, and then pulled it down over his
eyes again. Stoo