e clothes
in which he died; his writing-desk, a substantial oak-built, brass-bound
affair; a roll of charts, still faintly redolent of that peculiar musty
odour so characteristic of articles that have been for a long time on
shipboard; a few books, equally odoriferous; a brace of pistols; and his
sheathed hanger, still attached to its belt.

The writing-desk, as being the most appropriate depository for papers,
was, naturally, the object to which I first devoted my attention; and
this I completely emptied of its contents, depositing them in a
clothes-basket on my right hand, to start with, from which I afterwards
removed them, one by one, and after carefully perusing each completely
through, tossed them into a similar receptacle on my left. Many of the
documents proved to be sufficiently interesting reading, especially
those which consisted of notes and memoranda of information relating to
the projected or anticipated movements of the enemy's ships, acquired,
in some cases, in the most curious way. Then there were bundles of
letters retailing scraps of home news, and signed "Your loving wife,
Isabella." But, though I allowed no single scrap of paper to pass
unexamined, not one of them contained the most remote reference to any
such matter as buried treasure.

I next subjected the desk itself to a most rigorous examination, half
hoping that I might discover some secret receptacle so cunningly
contrived as to have escaped the observation of those who had preceded
me in the search. But no; the desk was a plain, simple, honest affair,
solidly and substantially constructed in such a manner that secret
recesses were simply impossible. Having satisfied myself thus far, I
carefully restored all the papers to the several receptacles from which
I had taken them, locked the desk, and then turned my attention to the
sea-chest.

Here I was equally unfortunate; for, though in the bottom of the chest I
actually found the identical log-book relating to the cruise during
which Richard Saint Leger was supposed to have acquired his knowledge of
the hidden treasure, and though I found duly entered therein the usual
brief, pithy, log-book entries of both actions with the Spanish ships,
not a word was there which even remotely hinted at the existence of the
treasure, or any record relating to it. And--not to spin out this
portion of my yarn to an unnecessary length--I may as well say, in so
many words, that when I had worked my way