honest old Tom, who was
laughing, crying, and talking all in a breath.

"And I've been thinking I was left behind, Mas'r Harry, and working away
to catch you; while all the time I've been paddling away."

"Tom!--Tom!" I cried huskily, "we thought you dead!"

"But I ain't--not a bit of it, Mas'r Harry. I'm as live as ever. But
ain't you going to ask arter anything else?"

"Tom, you're alive," I said, in the thankfulness of my heart, "and that
is enough."

"No, 'tain't, Mas'r Harry," he whispered rather faintly; for now I saw
that he looked pale and exhausted. "No, 'tain't enough; for I've got
all the stuff in the bottom here, just as we packed it in. Ain't you
going to say `hooray!' for that, Mas'r Harry?" he cried, in rather
disappointed tones.

"Tom," I said, "life's worth a deal more than gold." And then I turned
from him, for I could say no more.

We pushed in now to the landing-place, with a feeling of awakened
confidence, given--though I did not think of it then--by the knowledge
of our wealth; and leaving Tom in charge of the canoes, we sought the
first shelter we could obtain, and leaving there my uncle to watch over
the safety of the women, I set about making inquiries, and was
exceedingly fortunate in obtaining possession of a house that was
falling to ruin, having been lying deserted since quitted by an English
merchant a couple of years before. A few inquiries, too, led us to the
discovery that there was an English vice-consul resident, to whom I told
so much of our story as was safe, mentioning the attack upon my uncle,
and speaking of myself as having merely been upon an exploring visit.

The result was a number of pleasant little attentions, the consul
sending up his servants to assist in making the house habitable, and
sending to buy for us such articles of furniture as would be necessary
for our immediate wants.

I took the first opportunity of impressing upon all present secrecy
respecting the treasure, for I could not tell in what light our
possession of it might be looked upon; and then I hurried down to the
canoes to Tom with refreshments, of which he eagerly partook, as he said
at intervals:

"I believe I should have been starved out, Mas'r Harry, if there hadn't
been some of the eatables stuffed in my canoe by mistake; for I'd got
nothing much to swop with the Indians when I did happen to see any
ashore."

It was then arranged that he should still stay with the boats till I
c