Dialstone Lane, Complete
fe was framed and hung in the pantry. He studied it with care, and, anxious that there should be no possible chance of a misunderstanding, questioned the spellin
nd to watch him cleaning the doorstep, and, surprised at its whiteness, withdrew discomfited. Rumour ha
gulations, though a slight indiscretion on the part of Mr. Tasker, necessitating
afternoon in his easy-chair. In response to his startled cry of "Come in!" the door opened
alk," he said,
d's?" said the captain.
tor paid
ess in the dark every afternoon for the rest of h
dark?" repeated the
d down," expla
sly fingering the little bits of fluffy red whisker which grew at the sid
whose manner was gradually becoming milder and milder.
d oath, dashed out of his chair into the garden and s
h!" he
ng the telescope described by Mr. C
his master, beckoning to the visitor, who had drawn
an injured voice. "I wouldn't think o' s
ow," cried Mr. Chalk, as he accompanied the capta
addressing his master. "I was wat
ed at my window," p
ing in at the window. Besides, I noticed you always pulled the bl
ning to the captain. "My wife had our house built where it is on purpose, so that we shoul
f it before. If I catch you up there again," he cried, shak
under his arm, came slowly and
tching the birds. O' course, I couldn't help seeing in a bit, but I always sh
and get the tea ready. If I so much as see you loo
e crestfallen Joseph had gone into the house. "I hope I haven't been and sa
ming. I told him he might go up there occasionally, but I partic
there's a good view from up there? It's like having a ship in the garden, a
-nest. His high hat was jammed firmly over his brows and the telescope was gripped tightly under his right arm. The journey was evidently rega
e garden to announce the fact. Mr. Chalk was still up aloft, and even at that height the pallor of his face was clearly discernib
there," call
d Mr. Chalk, with an
rlorn figure aloft made no sign. The captain waited a little longer, and then,
he glass for yo
edge of the cask, leane
gone to sleep,
u get down," said the captain, climbi
d him until he was able to reach Mr. Tasker's face with his foot. After that the descent was easy, and Mr. Chalk, reach
ll with their foot asleep," remarked Mr. Tasker, pock
se. The latter offered a cup of tea, which the visitor, after a faint protest, accepted, and ta
yself aboard shi
the sea?" inqui
but somehow I didn't. I went into my father's business instead, but I never liked it. So
his head. "Ha!" he
Mr. Chalk, looking at him, grudgingl
e captain. "Naturally things happened in that time; it wo
y-one next year, and the only thing I ever had happen
e, put a few leading questions to the captain concerning the manner in which it came into his possession. When Prudence
m. The terrors of the crow's-nest vanished before his persevering attacks, and perched there with the ca
drawing his chair to the table, made rough maps for his listener's clearer understanding. Sometimes the captain took him to palm-studded islands in the Southern Seas; sometimes to the ancient worlds of China and Japan. He became
ptain's sitting-room. "Since I retired from business time hangs very heavy sometimes. I've
Tredgold, who was sitting by the w
pe from his mouth and
t the captain. "Look at the dangers you'd be dragging your craft into, Chalk
seriously. "I'm a married man, and there's my wife to thi
money to leave, haven't y
ing me," replied Mr. Chalk
f that," said the oth
ve years," said Mr. Chalk, impressively. "And all the time her husband was married again and
to look for you," said Mr. Tredgold. "But I don't thin
is left whisker with the stem of his churchwarde
ly. "Of course, I know you're only in joke, but there's some people can
going to for your cruise?"
a, that's all. I was talking to your father the other day," he a
ful son, briskly. "It would do
thing to do would be to combine business with pleasure-to take a yacht and find
it," said the c
es," said Mr. Tredgold, rising, and following Miss D
ain, smoked slowly. His gaze was fixed on the window, but instea
come across, I suppose, Capta
aid the
smoked on for some time in silence. The blue seas disappeare
with treasure aboard, I sup
r. "No," he said, slowly, "I can't call to mind any craft; bu
his pipe carefu
he in
n, with a short laugh,
f his pipe. "You know of sunken tr
shook his head; the oth
treasure?" he said
ll sunken," said the c
opened to their fullest e
It's a secret," he remarked
ell me where it is," said Mr. Chalk, "but I thought
"I don't know that there's any harm in telling you
n it?" inquir
t," rejoine
awestruck attention; Captain Bowers, slowly ramming h
f an oar for a spade. It was a long job, but it's six
stener's fingers and smas
ke a book of it,
ory-telling," he said, simply. "Besides, you can understa
s hand; the other, watching him closely, saw that his t
urs, I hope?" said
e captain, startin
of the treasure,"
the capta
much?" aske
half a million," respon
down the room. His eyes were brig
e demanded, at last, paus
id the captain, staring.
urn. "But who does it bel
e, and that's enough for me. Whether it was rightly come by I don
his relations or friend
been bought by a firm in Sydney, and while I was waiting out there I went for a little run on a schooner among the islands. This Don Silvio was aboard of her as a passenger. She went to pieces in a
keenly intere
ould be buried with him and never disturbed. After I'd promised, he opened the bag and showed me what was in it. It was full of precious stones-diamonds, rubies, and the like; some
to him when he was dead
th me. When he died I dug a grave for him, as I told you, with a bit of a broken oar, and laid him and
ally picking up the pieces of h
afterwards that the things h
given information, I think," s
hem again?" inquired Mr. Chalk, wit
a map of the island and got its position from the schooner that
d them now?" s
n, with a short laugh. "Th
to the fireplace, invited him to take a turn in the garden. Mr. Chalk,