Part 18 (1/2)

'Yes, by Jove! Carruthers,' said Davies, eagerly, 'we et out on this next tide'

'Oh, there's no hurry,' I said, partly from policy, partly because the ease of the shore was onof a luxury, however good the cause in which you have crouched like aoil-stove at your ear

'They're honest enough about here, aren't they?' I added While the words were on , and guessed that von Bruning was leading up to a test Grimm (if he was the visitor) would have told him of his narrow escape from detection, and reticence on our part would shoe suspected so I could have kicked myself, but it was not too late I took the bull by the horns, and, before the coot about that felloangeroog The anchor ht be stolen, as he says'

Davies looked blank, but von Bruning had turned tothese islands,' I said, 'but the other night I nearly caught a fellow in the act He thought the yacht was empty'

I described the affair in detail, and hat huetic for the islanders

'They're excellent folk,' he said, 'but they're born with predatory instincts Their fathersout of wrecks on this coast, and the children inherit a weakness for plunder When wangeroog lighthouse was built they petitioned the Governood faith The coast is well lighted now, and windfalls are rare, but the sight of a stranded yacht, with the owners ashore, would inflame the old passion; and, depend upon it, someone has seen that anchor-buoy'

The word 'wrecks' had setWas it another test?

Iht save trouble in the future

'Isn't there the wreck of a treasure-shi+p soeroog' ( it'

'Quite right,' said the con of embarrassment

'I don't wonder you heard of it It's one of the few things folk have to talk about in these parts It lies on Juister Riff, a shoal off Juist _[see Map B]_ She was a French frigate, the Corinne, bound froht as Paris She carried a ; foundered in four fathoms, broke up, and there lies the treasure'

'Never been raised?'

'No The underwriters failed and went bankrupt, and the wreck calish Lloyd's It reot at the bullion In fact, for fifty years it was never scratched at, and its very position grew doubtful, for the sand sed every stick The rights passed through various hands, and in '86 were held by an enterprising Swedish coed, and dug, fished up a lot of ti firms have tackled the job and lost their capital Scores of lives have been spent over it, all told, and probably a million of money

Still there are the bars, so done now?'

'Well, recently a small local co with a good deal of perseverance An engineer from Bremen was the principal mover, and a few men from Norderney and Emden subscribed the capital By the way, our friend Dollely interested in it'

Out of the corner oftroubled with inward questionings

'We'It's not fair to et those bars?'

'Ah! that's the point,' said von Bruning, with aof irated, and the gold, being the heaviest part of it, has, of course, sunk the deepest Dredging is useless after a certain point; and the divers have to make excavations in the sand, and shore theale nullifies half their labour, and weather like this of the last fortnight plays theI met the overseer, who happens to be ashore here He was as black as thunder over prospects'

'Well, it's a romantic speculation,' I said 'They deserve a return for their et it,' said the commander 'The fact is, I hold a few sharesindiscreet questions?'

'Oh, dear no; all the world knohat I've told you But you'll understand that one has to be reticent as to results in such a case

It's a big stake, and the _title is none too sound_ There has been litigation over it Not that I worry much about my investives one an interest in this abo on sometimes, when I'reed, heartily, 'though you won't get Davies to agree'