sounds plausible,” answered the captain, slowly, “but I have heard a great many stories about pirate treasure. Plenty of sailors are ready to manufacture them. They tell them so often that at last they come to believe them themselves.”
“My uncle George would not indulge in deception.”
“I presume not, but I am not so sure as to the sailor from whom he received the information.”
“The sailor was on his deathbed. Would a man be likely to tell a falsehood at such a time?”
“No doubt it has been done often. However, the paper which he gave to your uncle was not written when he was on his deathbed, as I understand, but some time before, when he was perfectly well, and had no idea of death.”
“That is true,” Guy was obliged to admit.
“I don’t see what object he could have had in deceiving my uncle, though,” he added, after a pause.
“Nor I.”
“Then you think there may be something in it?”
“There is such a possibility.”
“Think what a great thing it would be for us to find the treasure,” said Guy, his face lighting up with enthusiasm.
“It would be very agreeable, certainly; but there are some serious obstacles in the way, even if we knew the treasure to be there.”
“What obstacles, captain?”
“The islands you refer to are considerably to the north of my usual course, and my duty to the owners of the vessel would not permit me to vary my route for any private enterprise of my own.”
Guy’s countenance fell. He saw at once that the captain was right in his statement, but it destroyed the faint hopes he had entertained that he might secure his co-operation.
“I am afraid,” he said, despondently, “you don’t have any confidence in the existence of the treasure.”
“I don’t say that, Guy. It may exist; but unless you have clear and explicit directions, we might miss it even if we should go especially in search of it.”
“But I have a description of the island,” urged Guy.
“Suppose you give me an idea of it.”
“It is well wooded to within a mile of the shore; toward the center there is a hill, or slight eminence, perhaps a hundred and fifty feet in altitude. The extent of it is probably five miles by eight.”
“That is tolerably definite.”
“Don’t you think it is sufficiently so to identify the island?”
“Perhaps so; but, though small, one might hunt a good while before finding the treasure after the island was discovered.”
“I have some directions that would help me.”
“That is well, or would be if there were any chance of your ever finding yourself on the island.”
“Captain Grover, I want to ask your advice. Can you suggest any way by which I can manage to reach the island?”
“You’ve got me there, Guy. These islands are never visited for commercial purposes. I know almost nothing of them—indeed, nothing at all, except their location. Of course, if there were ships that visited them for any purpose, that would simplify matters; but, so far as I see, the only way of seeking the treasure would be to organize an expedition expressly for that purpose.”
“I suppose that would be very expensive.”
“It certainly would.”
“But if the treasure were found, the one who incurred the expense would be richly repaid.”
“Well, perhaps so,” said the captain, skeptically.
“You won’t go anywhere near the island, then, captain?”
“No, Guy, I sha’n’t.”
Guy sat quiet a moment. He was very much disappointed. He began to realize how utterly quixotic was the expedition on which he had embarked.
“I begin to wish I had never found the letter,” he said.
“As to that, Guy, no harm is done. I presume, if you hadn’t found the letter, I should not have had the pleasure of your company on this voyage.”
“No, I suppose not.”
“Probably you will derive some pleasure and benefit from the trip, even if you never touch a dollar of this treasure.”
“That is true, captain; but I have a special reason for wishing I might obtain money from this source, or some other.”
“What is it?”
Then Guy told what he had learned as to Deacon Crane’s intention of driving his father from the parish. It would be a heavy blow to the minister, who was no longer endowed with a young man’s energy or hopefulness.
“You are a good boy, Guy, to have so much consideration for your father; but I am afraid you are leaning on a broken reed if you have any idea of helping him by the discovery of this treasure. However, I will turn the idea over in my mind, and if I can think of any suggestion to offer you I will do so.”
CHAPTER V
AN ADVENTURE IN BOMBAY
Guy’s conversation with Captain Grover left him with a feeling of disappointment. He felt that the captain had little faith in the reality of the treasure, and considered his enterprise a failure in advance.
Guy had overlooked the principal difficulties in the way. He had managed to reach the Indian Ocean, but this had brought him no nearer the realization of his hopes. If he had had nothing on his mind he might have enjoyed the bright, calm days and the clear skies, with glimpses here and there of islands covered with tropical vegetation.
But he had started on his voyage with a purpose. He wanted to find and secure the treasure hinted at in his uncle’s letter, and make his father independent for life. Of this there seemed to be now no chance, or next to none.
There was nothing for him to do except to remain on board the Osprey till the vessel reached Bombay. Then there would be the return voyage, at the end of which he would have seen considerable of the world, but would have gained nothing to repay him for the year he had spent away from home.
But there was no help for it. The captain would not change his course, and Guy must be content to leave the island unvisited, and the great problem unsolved.
At last they reached Bombay.
Guy surveyed the place with curious interest. He was not prepared to find it so large.
A city which contains seven hundred thousand inhabitants is a great city in any part of the world.
Not having any duties on board the ship, Guy was allowed to go and come when he pleased.
He found that among the foreign residents the English were the most
