of the others. "I say, this is a great game! and we've learned something from those people. The spot marked with a pirate flag is not the right one! When we find that, there is no use of digging."
The pair went on, prospecting for a likely place to dig. There were so many trees and shrubs, that often there would be no view of any of the other seekers. And then again they would come across groups of two or three, or perhaps one alone digging desperately or looking disappointed at a failure.
Gay greetings were exchanged or words of sympathy and commiseration and each went on his chosen way.
"Do you know," said Jack at last, "I shouldn't be surprised if the real place isn't marked at all. Hullo, what's this?" Right at his feet lay a toy bowie-knife. Though made of pasteboard, it was a ferocious-looking affair and the spot where it was had not been disturbed.
"I don't believe that's the right place," said Jack, who had grown suspicious of misleading clues. "Anyway, Dolly, let's leave that, and come back to it if we don't find anything more hopeful."
So they wandered on and next they came to the pirate flag. This black and white emblem was planted above a much dug up space and they laughed as they concluded that several trials had been made there.
Soon they came upon Dotty and Josie Holmes who were hastily digging at a spot which had been marked by two stakes. They had pulled up the stakes, but as yet had not found any treasure.
"Bet it isn't there," said Jack, looking closely at the two stakes.
"Why?" demanded Dotty.
"Dunno. Somehow it doesn't seem 'sif it is. Come on, Dolly, let's try again."
"Go on," said Dotty; "I think this is the place. Josie and I feel certain of it. Go on, you two, and good luck to you."
Shouldering their spades, Jack and Dolly trudged on.
"Let's think it out," said Jack, seating himself on a flat rock, while Dolly did likewise. "I believe we can think out where Mr. Rose would have been likely to put the thing. Now I don't believe it would be very close to where he started us. These nearby digging places are all frauds. Let's go to the limit of the space he said, and try all 'round the edge."
"How can you tell?" And Dolly looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Why, he said fifty feet, you know, and I can pace off what ought to be about fifty feet and then we'll walk all the way round."
They did this, and as they walked round the circle which Jack declared was about the boundary of the fifty-foot radius, they soon came upon a good-sized iron key.
"This is it!" cried Jack; "we've struck it! This is the key to the chest, and the chest is buried here!"
"Good work!" and Guy Holmes and Maisie Norris appeared just in time to hear Jack's exclamation. "Come on, let's all dig!"
"No," said Dolly, sitting down on the ground; "I can't dig any more; I'm too tired. Maisie and I will sit here while you boys do the digging."
"All right," the boys agreed, and they fell to work with a will.
They had thrown out but a few spadefulls of dirt, when they struck something hard.
"Hooray! hurroo!" cried Guy; "we've got it! We've struck the treasure!"
"Sure we have!" and Jack flung out the dirt excitedly. "Easy there now, old fellow! Look out! It's the chest, sure enough!"
The two girls jumped up and ran to look, as the boys uncovered one corner of what seemed to be an old brass-bound chest.
"It is; it is!" cried Dolly. "We've found it. Hooray, everybody! We've found the treasure!"
As her voice rang out the others left their digging and all congregated about the lucky finders.
Other spades were set to work and in a short time willing hands lifted the old chest from the hole and set it up on the solid earth.
"It's locked!" cried somebody, as several tried to open it at once.
"Of course it is," said Dolly; "don't you remember, Jack, it was the key that first showed us where it was. What did you do with that key?"
"I don't know," and Jack Norris began looking around.
"I know," said Dolly, laughing; "you left it on the ground and you spaded out the dirt all over it. Now you'll have to dig for the key!"
"That's just what I did do! If I'm not the chump!" and Jack began to dig in the heap of dirt they had thrown up out of the hole.
"Toss it back in the hole," cried Guy, and in a jiffy the dirt was flung back where it came from and the key was discovered.
"Don't let's open the box here," said Dolly; "I think we ought to take it to Mr. Rose first."
"I think so, too," agreed Jack Norris, and the boys carried the big box, while Dolly and the girls followed with the key.
"Here you are, Captain Kidd," cried Jack as they met Mr. Rose already coming to meet them.
"Found it, did you?" said that gentleman, smiling at the band of treasure seekers. "Bring it along and we'll open it."
They all followed him to the bungalow veranda, and there the treasure chest was unlocked.
It contained a little souvenir for everybody present and there were exclamations of delight over the pretty trinkets that were found tied up in dainty tissue paper parcels that did not look at all as if they had been prepared by Captain Kidd or his pirate crew!
Dolly's gift was a pretty writing tablet, well furnished, and upon which, she declared, she should write a long letter home telling of the treasure hunt and its success.
Later on a jolly picnic supper was served to the young people and before this was finished the sun had set and the stars were beginning to show above the tall trees.
"Now for a real camp-fire," said Mr. Rose, leading the way to the open tent. "Come on, boys, and help me fetch wood."
The boys followed their host and under direction of Mrs. Rose and Dotty the open tent was transformed into a cosy and inviting place. Hemlock and spruce boughs were thrown about and partly covered with Indian blankets and many cushions and pillows and mats of woven rattan.
Mrs. Rose and the girls arranged themselves comfortably in this spicy nest and when the boys returned with arms full of fagots and brush, Mr. Rose superintended the building of a glorious fire right in front of the open tent.
Then the party all gathered together and sang songs and told stories and cracked jokes in merry mood.
The blazing fire cast grotesque shadows all about and the merry crackling blaze was a joy of itself.
Boxes of marshmallows made their appearance and faces took on a rosy glow as the young people toasted the white lumps of delight on the ends of long forks provided by Maria.
"I never had such a good time in my life," exclaimed Dolly, her eyes dancing and her cheeks rosy as she scampered around the fire.
