d see nothing.

"Come on, come on!" he cried excitedly; "we've got the dreckshuns; we
knaw," and he walked northward as fast as he was able, carrying the
spade under his arm. Presently we reached a deep pool not far from
Annette Head, and near here we found some huge overhanging rocks.
Underneath these we both crept, and here we sat for a considerable time.
We had brought food with us, and of this we partook, after which we
tried to pass away the time by smoking some prime tobacco which I had
bought at Penzance. It was just after six o'clock when we finished our
meal, and we sat there in the darkness for two hours. I rejoiced to see
the clouds depart and the stars begin to shine, for the genius of
loneliness seemed to govern the place. We could see nothing but the sea,
which in the night looked as black as ink as it surged among the rocks.
Even "Great Smith," a huge black rock which lay about half a mile from
us, was almost hidden from view, and no sound of anything living reached
us save the weird, unnatural cry of the sea birds which now and then
fluttered among the rocks on the coast.

When eight o'clock came Eli crawled out from our hiding-place and crept
to the headland. Here he stayed for some minutes.

"We be saafe, I reckon," he grunted when he came back; "ther's nobody
here, nobody 'toal. We'll go back to the rock again. We musn't talk,
jist go quiet."

I followed him, for somehow I felt that he was more capable of leading
than I. He kept perfectly cool, I was excited and irritable. Moreover, a
nameless dread had laid hold of me. We kept close by the northeast coast
of the island, while at frequent intervals Eli would hide behind a rock
or lie flat on the ground, listening intently all the while.

"Are you anxious, Eli?" I asked. "Who could come here without our
knowledge? while, as you say, it would mean death for any one to come in
the dark."

"Cap'n Jack and Cap'n Billy Coad be'ant like other people," he grunted.
"I've bin thinkin', thinkin'."

"What about?"

"Sha'ant tell 'ee!" he snarled; "but I reckon we be oal right. Come on."

Presently we reached the southern extremity of the little tract of land
again, and as I made my way to the rock I became possessed of a feverish
desire to get the treasure. All ghostly fears departed, I felt strong
and capable again, and it was with great impatience that I waited for
the moon to rise.

The wind had gone to rest, while the sea was settling down to dead