Part 15 (1/2)

”He returned to Boston with his dream. William stayed in port for a time, and then prepared for a long voyage; but before he went away he obtained a promise from the widow that if she ever married any one it should be himself. There was nothing wrong in that.

”The s.h.i.+p owners saw that he had honor, and that they could trust him.

He was advanced in the service, and he learned how to command a s.h.i.+p.

”He returned and married the widow, and went forth again to try to reap the harvest of the sea for her, carrying with him his dreams.--He was an honest man.

”William Phipps, the sailor, heard more and more in regard to the sunken treasure s.h.i.+p, and he went to England and applied to the king for s.h.i.+ps and men to go in search of this mine of gold in the sea.

”Gold was then the royal want, and King James's heart was made right glad to hear the bold adventurer's story. The king put at his command s.h.i.+ps and men, and young William Phipps--now Commander Phipps--went to the white reef in the blue Bahama Sea and searched the long sea wall for treasures faithfully, but in vain. He was compelled to return to England as empty-handed as when he went out.

”He heard of the great admiral, the Duke of Albemarle, and was introduced to him by William Penn. The duke heard his story, and furnished him with the means to continue the search for the golden s.h.i.+p in the coral reef.

”Ideals change into realities and will is way. Commander William bethought him of a new plan of gaining the needed intelligence. Might not some very old person know the place where the s.h.i.+p was wrecked? The thought was light. He found an old Indian on a near island who remembered the wreck, and who said he could pilot him to the very spot where the s.h.i.+p had gone down.

”Captain William's heart was light again. With the Indian on board he drifted to the rippling waters over the reef.

”Below was a coral world in a sea as clear as the sky. Out of it flying-fish leaped, and through it dolphins swam in pairs, and over it sarga.s.so drifted like cloud shadows.

”Captain William looked down. Was it over these placid waters that the storm had made wreckage many years ago? Was it here that the exultant Spanish sailors had felt the shock that turned joy into terror, and sent the s.h.i.+p reeling down, with the spoils of Indian caciques, or of Incarial temples, or of Andean treasures?

”The old Indian pointed to a sunken, ribbed wall in the clear sea. The hearts of the sailors thrilled as they stood there under the fiery noonday sky.

”Down went the divers--down!

”Up came one presently with the news--'The wreck is there; we have found it!'

”'Search!' cried Captain William, with a glad wife and a gable house in Boston town before his eyes. 'Down!'

”Another diver came up bringing a bag. It looked like a salt bag.

”An officer took an axe and severed the bag. The salt flew; the sailors threw up their hands with a cry--out of the bag poured a glittering stream of gold!

”Captain William reeled. His visions were now taking solid forms; they had created for him a new world.

”'Down! down!' he commanded.

”They broke open a bag which was like a crystal sack. It was full of treasure, and in its folds was a goblet of gold.

”They shouted over the treasure and held up the golden cup to the balmy air. It had doubtless belonged to a Spanish don.

”More salt bags of gold! The deck was covered with gold! It is related that one of the officers of the s.h.i.+p went mad at the sight. But Captain William did not go mad as he surveyed the work of the men in the vanis.h.i.+ng twilight. He had been there in spirit before; he had expected something, and he was on familiar ground when he had found it. He had been a prophetic soul.

”He carried home the treasure to England, and, soul of honor that he was, he delivered every dollar's worth of it to the duke. His name filled England; and his honesty was a national surprise, though why it should have been we can not say. But didn't I tell you he was an honest man?

”The duke was made happy, and began to cast about how to bestow upon him a fitting reward.

”'What can I do for you?' asked his Highness.

”I have a wife in Boston town, over the sea. She is a good woman. Her faith in me made me all I am. She is the world to me, for she believed in me when no one else did.'