Part 43 (2/2)

”I don't know”

”Have you ever been there?”

”No”

Plainly no further inforh to have hope strengthened and an additional chance for success Brandon obtained as near as possible the exact direction of Santa Cruz, and, going back to the yacht, took advantage of the light breeze which still was blowing and set sail

[Illustration: ”AN ISLAND COVERED WITH PALM-TREES LAY THERE”]

Night came on very dark, but the breeze still continued to send its light breath, and before this the vessel gently glided on Not a thing could be seen in that intense darkness Toward ht in his deep anxiety, tried to pierce through the glooh he would force the darkness to reveal that which he sought But the darkness gave no token

Not Colureater eagerness nor did his heart beat with greater anxiety of suspense, than that which Brandon felt as his vessel glided slowly through the dark waters, the same over which Coluloolided by at last; the darkness faded, and the dawn ca about sunrise, caaze at soht be

An island covered with palm-trees lay there Its extent was small, but it was filled with the rich verdure of the tropics The gentle breeze ruffled the waters, but did not altogether efface the reflection of that beautiful islet

Louis pointed toward the northeast

Frank looked

It seemed to be about two miles away It was a low sand island about a quarter of aFrom its surface projected three rocks thin and sharp They were at unequal distances from each other, and in the ht have been about twelve feet in height, the others eight and ten feet respectively

Louis and Frank exchanged one long look, but said not a word That look was an eloquent one

This then was unmistakably the place of their search

The islet with the three rocks like needles lying north of Santa Cruz

One league due north of this was the spot where now rested all their hopes

The island of Santa Cruz was, as had been told theth, the sand island with the needles lay about two miles north of it On the side of Santa Cruz which lay nearest to theh for the yacht Here, after some delay, they were able to enter and land

The tall trees that covered the island rose over beautiful glades and grassy slopes Too sive support to any number of inhabitants, it had never been touched by the hand of man, but stood before them in all that pristine beauty hich nature had first endowed it It reree of that African island where he had passed soht over him an intolerable melancholy, and made the very beauty of this island painful to hi within his heart, and as he traversed its extent his eye wandered about in search of places where he ht be able to conceal the treasure that lay under the sea, if he were ever able to recover it from its present place The island afforded many spots which ell adapted to such a purpose

In the centre of the island a rock jutted up, which was bald and flat on its summit On the western side it showed a precipice of soht, and on the eastern side it descended to the water in a steep slope The tall trees which grew all around shrouded it from the view of those at sea, but allowed the sea to be visible on every side Cli which showed them that they could not hope to carry on any operations for that day

On the other side of the island, about tenbecalmed It looked like one of those vessels that are in the trade between the United States and the West Indies As long as that vessel was in the neighborhood it would not do even tohis yacht be seen

Whatever he did he wished to do secretly

The brig continued in sight all day, and they re they took the small boat and rowed out to the sandbank which they called Needle Islet It was ularly-shaped rocks projecting upward There was nothing else whatever to be seen upon it The moon came up as they stood there, and their eyes wandered involuntarily to the north, to that place, a league ahere the treasure lay beneath the waters

CHAPTER XXIII