After a little while, Pee-wee shouted, “Oh, I see Steuben Junction! I
see a house!”
“That’s it,” I told him; “I knew there was a house in Steuben Junction.”
“Do you see the white house?” he yelled.
“Sure, I can even see the President sitting in one of the windows,”
Grove said; “it’s the White House all right.”
“I see it,” Alf said.
“Sure, right in among the trees,” I told him; “it’s a kind of a light
shade of white.”
Harry said, “Well, we seem to be approaching the desert island. Now for
the bags of gold.”
“I’m going to buy a wireless outfit with my share,” Pee-wee said.
“I’m going to buy a bicycle with mine,” Alf said; “I’m going to get one
painted green.”
“I think I’ll get a pound of sugar with my share,” I said.
Grove said he was going to get a camping kit. Harry said that maybe he’d
get an egg with his share, and if he had any left, he’d donate it to the
poor starving garage keepers. He said, “So you see, there’s a couple of
billion dollars spent already. We’ve been very extravagant. I’m sorry we
spent it all before we got it.”
Pee-wee said, “The time for us to dig up that treasure is at night—in
the darkness.”
“In the which?” Harry asked him.
“In the dead of night,” Pee-wee said; “that’s the way Captain Kidd used
to do.”
Harry said, “I don’t think the night is likely to be very dead with this
bunch around. It might get sick though.”
“Good night, I wouldn’t blame it if it did,” I told him.
“We’ll make torches, hey?” Pee-wee said, all excited.
“Have we got anything to strain the gold in?” Harry asked. “You’re the
property man, Pee-wee.”
“I got the coffee strainer from the kitchen,” the kid said; “I brought a
rolling-pin, too. Because you know sometimes they roll gold.”
“You should have brought a couple of dishes along, in case we should
want to plate it,” Harry said, all the while laughing. I guess you know
by this time that we were all crazy—not exactly crazy, but insane. We
should worry.
Steuben Junction was about as big as New York. I mean New York before
Columbus landed. It was so big, you could have it sent home C. O. D.,
but anyway, there was a nice man there; he was the man that kept the
station. He gave us a letter that Brent Gaylong had left with him—gee
whiz, it sounded just like Brent.
This is what it said, because I kept it:
On board Good Ship
Flivver making port.
Yo ho, Messmates:—
After a rough and stormy voyage, made port of Steuben Junction
safely. Natives-friendly. Were tossed at the mercy of rocks and
breakers on road through woods. Water ran out—of radiator. Had
to take some out of springs to keep from famishing. Springs were
no good anyway. They wouldn’t spring—not even in the springtime.
Had to man pumps—tires were leaking so badly. Cap blew out—also
two tires.
Breakers broke pretty nearly everything, including brakes. Leaks
gained fast—carburetor flooded. Mutiny on board. Seaman
Wide-Awake in irons. Also chains and wheels. Tried to clutch a
floating log, but clutch wouldn’t work. Ship in dry dock in back
of stationery store.
Are starting to follow railroad tracks into woods. Will leave
sign alongside tracks where you are to turn in. Will blaze trees
to our camp. Follow signs. Look out for spies—keep away from
ice-cream parlor. Suspicious. Beware of poisoned gum drops. The
treasure will be ours, but have a care. Efforts are being made
to foil us—two Spanish onions were seen in Steuben Junction,
loitering near post office.
Hurry, B. G.
When we had read the letter, Harry said, “The plot grows thicker; we
haven’t a minute to spare. We must moor our ship and be on the trail. I
wonder where that stationery store is. I think that Brent has not told
us all. You’d better keep your hand on that rolling-pin, Scout Harris,
and hang onto that coffee strainer, in case we should want to sift any
evidence.”