pied something shining in a corner of what had once been the
pirate-chief's cabin. He took it up and found it to be a small box of
unusual weight for its size. His sense of touch told him that it was
ornamented with carving on its surface, but the light was not sufficient
to enable him to see it distinctly. His heart beat hopefully, however,
as he hastened as fast as the water would permit out of the cabin, and
then, to his joy he found that it was Aileen Hazlit's jewel-box! How it
came there he could not guess; but the reader partly knows the truth,
and can easily imagine that when the pirate-chief sent his other
valuables to the swift prow, as before mentioned, he kept this--the most
precious of them all--close to his own person to the last, desiring, no
doubt, to have it always under his own eye.

Not troubling himself much, however, with such speculations, Edgar
returned to the cabin, placed the box where he found it, and spent full
half-an-hour more in plying his crowbar in the hope of discovering more
of the pirate's horde. While thus engaged he received two or three
signals to "Come up" from Joe Baldwin, who held his life-line; but he
signalled back "All right--let me alone," and went on with his work.

At last there came the signal "Come up!" given with such a peremptory
tug that he was fain, though unwilling, to comply. Taking the box under
his arm he began to ascend slowly. On gaining the surface he was made
at once aware of the reason of the repeated signalling, for a sudden
squall had burst upon the eastern sea, which by that time, although
perfectly calm below, was tumbling about in waves so large that the
gun-boat was tossing like a cork at her anchor, and it was found to be
almost impossible to work the air-pump. In fact it was only by having
two men stationed to keep Ram-stam on his legs that the thing could be
done!

With some difficulty Edgar was got on board, and the order was
immediately given to weigh anchor.

Expressing great surprise at the state of things he found above water,
and regret that he had not sooner attended to orders, Edgar placed the
box on the deck. Then he unrobed, and drawing on his trousers and a
canvas jacket he issued from behind the funnel--which had been his
robing-room--and went aft, where he found Aileen seated between her
friend Miss Pritty and her father.

"Miss Hazlit," he said with a peculiar smile, "allow me to introduce you
to an old friend."

He held