kipt to what yer promised. Ef you ded'n, I'd make yer flesh drop
off yer boans bit by bit; I'd make yer joints twist wrong way 'bout; I'd
make 'ee suffer pains wuss'n the fires ov the bottomless pit; I'd raise
the sperrits of--"

"Doan't 'ee, Betsey," cried Cap'n Jack, and his voice trembled with
fear. "I knaw you be a gifted woman; I knaw you can do terrible things.
Ef there's a treasure, Betsey, laive me vind et, and Eli sh'll live in
the finest state o' land in this blessed county."

"I'll think 'bout it. I caan't raid, that you knaw--but, but come out
'ere in the gar'n, Jack."

With that, Billy Coad, Cap'n Jack, and Betsey went into the garden,
while Eli sat by the chimney and chuckled as though a great joy had come
into his heart.

They did not stay long, and I suspected that Betsey told them something
she did not wish me to know. When they came back again I heard Betsey
tell Eli to fetch the crock and brandis into the middle of the room.

After that Betsey blew on the pot again, as I had seen her blow, and she
made the two men repeat things after her which I did not hear
distinctly, and all the time I heard Eli chuckling and grunting as
though he enjoyed himself vastly.

After this all the four went into the garden, and they stayed there a
long while, leaving me to muse over the strange things I had heard. Not
that it came altogether as a surprise to me, for I had often heard of
Granfer Fraddam knowing something about a treasure. I do not think any
one had taken much notice of it, for there were scores of meaningless
stories about lost treasures that passed from lip to lip among the
gossips in the days when I was young.

Now, however, that which I had heard caused me much food for thought,
and I wondered whether there was any truth in the story. I determined,
too, that I would ask Eli, for I believed that what Betsey knew he would
know. I saw, too, that he loved me, and I was sure that he was anxious
to serve me.

When Betsey and Eli came back the two men had gone, and then I came from
my hiding-place, and began to ply them with questions. But neither of
them would give me answers. Betsey seemed very thoughtful, while Eli
pulled some sacks from under the settle, so that I might have a bed.

Before Betsey climbed the creaky stairs which led to the room where she
slept, she fixed her whitey, shining eyes upon me, and, holding up her
hand, she bade me be silent about what I had seen and heard.

"Ef you t