Part 18 (2/2)

They had, lastly, to rig their raft A fore-royal already bent was found in the sail-room, and a spar served as a mast How to step it, and to secure it properly, was the difficulty, until Bill suggested getting a third chest and boring a hole through the lid, and then, by h the bottom, the mast would be well stepped, and it was easy to set it up byexactly what they wanted to do, they did it very rapidly, and were perfectly satisfied with their perforain, however, before they could launch their raft It would not be safe to do that unless the as off shore and the water shly convinced Some hours o dohat should they do in the o aithout wishi+ng their friends the Turgots good-bye He wanted also to tell Jeannette of the sots, at all events, would have as good a right to it as any one else, should the proper owners not be in existence

Jack did not want hiht,” he observed, ”or some one may come down and discover the vessel, and if I ah, I could not put off”

”But there is no chance of the tide coe and be back again long before that,”

answered Bill

At last Jack gave in

”Well, be quick about it,” he said; ”we ought to be away at daylight, if the wind and the sea will let us; and if we don't, I' off at all”

Bill promised without fail to return There was no risk, he was sure, of being discovered, and it would be very ungrateful to the Turgots to go aithout trying to see thereed that it was better for his to the raft Before he started they arranged the tackles for launching it; and they believed that, when once in the water, it would not take them more than ten minutes or a quarter of an hour to haul the empty casks under the bottoht then, should the wind be favourable, stand boldly out to sea

This being settled, Bill lowered himself down on the sand by a rope, and ran off as fast as he could go

Jack quickly finished the work he had undertaken; then putting his hand into his pocket, he felt the gold pieces

”It's a pity we shouldn't have ree with Bill in that matter If he does not care about them for himself, I do for him, and he shall have half”

As he said this he emptied his pockets into one of the chests

”I shall want a lantern by-the-bye,” he said; and springing below, he secured one with a fresh candle in it

Having done this, he forthwith lowered himself, as Bill had done, down on the sand, and quickly made his way to the cavern

He had left the basket with the tinder-box, and the remnant of their provisions at their caold overcahosts and spirits

Having lighted his lantern he took up the basket, which had a cloth in it, and pushed forward The pale light fro torches, an not at all to like the appearance of things, and fancied at last that he ot into a different part, of the cavern; still he thought, ”I o aithout it It belongs to us asthat the owners are dead Their ghosts won't coht of that I ht It would have been much pleasanter if Bill had been with me

Why didn't I try to persuade hih Jack'sup what he had once deter; on the contrary, he was serving his friend Bill as well as hiold for her In the e He should astonish theht, or rather so early in the ood-bye, and would be verythem of the treasure in the cavern

It would make their fortunes, and Jeannette would be the richest heiress in the neighbourhood; for, of course, he would bargain that she should have a good share There oods aithout being discovered, which would be a pity, as they were of asas right in giving the theh he considered that he could not take it hiot round to the back door, under the room where Pierre slept He knew that he would not be out fishi+ng then, as the weather would have prevented him

He knocked at once No answer ca, and presently Pierre sang out, ”Who's there?”

”It's one you know; let me in,” answered Bill, in a low voice, for he was afraid of any one whohim