HOW SUCCESS BECAME FAILURE
The next morning, when Guy and his two companions started for the
island, their faces were bright with hope and expectation. They felt
that success was at hand.
They never doubted the truth of the statement which they had read in
John Wolf’s memorandum book. There had been times when they had been
despondent, but all fear of failure was now removed.
They were too much absorbed in their own thoughts to notice the rather
remarkable demeanor of the captain, who stood on the deck, silent and
watchful, while his three passengers were taking their places in the
boat.
They were provided with a pickaxe and a shovel. These Guy had brought
with him from home, in the hope that they would be required in
unearthing the treasure of which he was in search.
Hitherto they had not carried these implements on their daily trips to
the island, but the time had now come when they would be of use.
Captain John Richmond smiled cynically as he watched the boat lowered
and the three explorers entering it. Probably no one of the sailors
noticed his expression except Frank Low, on whom it produced a feeling
of uneasiness.
“I wonder what the captain’s thinking about,” he said to himself.
Captain Richmond stood silent and thoughtful till he saw the party land
on the island beach. Then he waited quietly till the boat returned.
He waited longer, and through the glass saw Guy and his companions
plunge into the forest.
Then he called the mate, and gave him an order which was received with
intense astonishment.
“Surely, Captain Richmond,” he said, “you are not in earnest!”
“Mr. Forbush,” said the captain, sternly, “I’ll thank you not to
question my orders.”
“But, Captain Richmond, you are surely not going to put out to sea,
leaving your three passengers on the island!”
“That is just what I am going to do,” said the captain, with an oath.
“But, sir----”
“Do you understand, Mr. Forbush, that I am the captain of this vessel?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I understand my business, and I don’t choose to have my orders
questioned.”
“But, sir, this is monstrous!” protested the mate.
“Another word, sir, and I will put you in irons!”
The mate looked at the captain, and saw that he was almost beside
himself with rage. Evidently he was in no condition to be expostulated
with.
It seemed necessary to give in to him for the present, and the mate
called the boatswain to pipe the crew to duty.
There was more than one perplexed and wondering face as the sailors
prepared the ship for setting sail. They all asked themselves what it
meant, and whether the three men on the island were to be left behind.
But no one dared to ask the captain, who, stern and resolute, kept his
place on deck, and personally saw that his orders were carried out.
Perhaps the one who felt the deepest grief and dismay was Frank Low, who
saw that what he had most feared was about to take place.
He knew, too--for Guy had got a chance to tell him--that the scheme was
all but discovered, and that this would be the last day upon the island.
Poor Frank! Unwillingly enough he was compelled to take his part in
getting the ship ready for a start.
Had he dared, he would have made a personal protest to the captain, but
he knew that while this would bring swift punishment to him it would do
his friends no good. So with a perplexed brow and sinking heart he bore
his part, and kept silence till the mate chanced to be standing near
him. Then he felt he must speak.
“Mr. Forbush,” he said, “what does this mean? Are we going to desert Guy
Fenwick and his men?”
It was a breach of discipline to say as much as this, but he knew that
the mate felt kindly toward him and toward Guy.
“Heaven only knows,” replied the mate, in a low voice. “I have done the
best I could to prevent him, but the captain won’t hear a word.”
“They will die!” said Frank, in a faltering voice.
“Not a word more now; the captain is coming!”
Captain Richmond came up, looking stern and forbidding, and watched with
a lynx-like glance all that was going on.
The mate determined to make one more remonstrance.
“Captain Richmond,” he said, “does Guy Fenwick know of your intention of
putting to sea?”
The captain looked as if he were about to indulge in a burst of furious
anger, but he restrained himself, with a sudden thought.
“Yes,” he said, “he understands. We are coming back for him,” he added,
after a pause.
Mr. Forbush looked skeptical. He did not believe a word of this.
He was about to speak again when the captain added, peremptorily: “I
wish to hear no more on this subject, Mr. Forbush. I know what I am
about.”
After this it would not do even for the mate to say more.
Still, the latter regarded the captain fixedly, which appeared to anger
him.
“Don’t look at me in that way, Mr. Forbush!” roared the captain. “I
repeat that I know what I am about!”
“I am glad you do, sir,” said the mate, coolly.
Captain Richmond glared at him, but did not reply.
Within an hour the Osprey, under full sail, for there was a good breeze,
was speeding away from the island.
We must now follow Guy and his two friends, who had gone ashore in high
spirits, feeling that success was within their grasp. They did not
loiter on their way, but made all haste to reach that part of the
island indicated as the repository of the treasure.
As they walked they talked cheerfully and hopefully of the future.
“Guy,” said Abner, “you are entitled to credit for your enterprise and
pluck. It isn’t many boys of your age that would have done so much.”
“I don’t know about that, Abner,” said Guy, modestly; “but I have done
the best I could.”
“And you will be well paid.”
“I hope so. Not so much for my own sake as my father’s. I want to make
his latter days comfortable.”
“Why, he isn’t so old! He’s only about ten years older than I am.”
“True; but you know as soon as a minister has passed middle life some
are anxious to turn him off and put a younger man in his place.”
“Is that the case in Bayport?”
“Yes. There is one of the congregation--Deacon Crane--who is anxious to
get rid of him. I don’t think there are many who agree with him, but I
know he will do all he can to bring about a change.”
“It’s a lucky thing Luke came across that memorandum book. I don’t
believe we should any of us have thought of going to the other end of
the island.”
“It would have been a good while, probably, before we did.”
“And Captain Richmond would have got tired of waiting. Did you drop him
a hint that we were on the right track?”
“Yes; but I don’t believe he put any faith in my words.”
“He will have to believe it when we carry the treasure on board.”
At length, following the directions of Wolf, the unfortunate sailor,
they reached the locality specified.
There stood the six trees, arranged in the shape of a cross. There were
no other trees within two hundred feet, and this made them conspicuous.
“If we had ever come this way we could not have failed to discover
them,” said Titcomb; “and after all, the pirates were wise to select
this place, rather than one in the heart of the woods.”
They lost no time in digging between the second and third trees,
according to directions.
“I hope no one has been here before,” said Luke Clark, between the
strokes of his pickaxe.
“There was no one to come here except John Wolf, and he would have had
no object in it.”
In a very short time Abner Titcomb’s pickaxe struck something hard.
“That’s the chest, I surmise,” he said.
The three redoubled their efforts, and, sure enough, they soon laid bare
the chest which for so many years had been buried in its secret hiding
place.
It proved to be locked, but by good luck Guy, who had with him the key
of his uncle’s chest in the attic of his home in Bayport, was able to
open it.
The sight dazzled them. There were vases filled with gold and silver
coin, and three or four wallets stuffed with bank bills, besides
watches--there looked to be fifty or sixty of these--and jewelry.
“Well! well! This is a find!” said Abner Titcomb. “You are rich for
life, Guy!”
Guy’s face flushed with pride and joy.
“Mr. Saunders will be satisfied, I think,” he said, simply. “The
question is now, how shall we get the chest to the beach?”
“I think we shall have to wait till to-morrow. I doubt if we can carry
it so far. We can bring some of the sailors with us to help.”
“Won’t there be a risk in leaving it?”
“There is no one on the island. Still, we had better cover it up and
get back to the beach, although it is yet early.”
It was at least four miles to the beach. When they arrived there their
hearts were filled with dismay, _for looking out to sea, they could see
nothing of the Osprey_! She had mysteriously disappeared.