May i8, 1916 
LAND& WATER 
CHAT A 
<v/ "T^mance of the South Seas 
"By H. T>E FERE STAC POOLE 
19 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
The Treasure. 
WHEN Hull and his companions reached the 
landing stage and found the boat — as they ex- 
pected — gone, they struck at once down stream 
taking the exact path taken by Saji. 
You will observe that mechanism wliich Fate often displays 
in the fact that Macquart, in stealing the boat and so making 
liis own position seemingly more secure, had, in reality, 
provided a release for the death that was pursuing him in the 
form of Saji and which was trapped and held up in the pit. 
The part\-, passing along the river bank and hearing the 
call for help, stopped, made a search, discovered the trap 
mouth and soon had the prisoner out. 
" Why, it's one of those blessed Dyaks," said Hull, " caught 
huntin' in his own trap." 
Houghton said nothing. He was looking at Chaya who 
had gone up to Saji. Saji was standing feeling his joints 
and taking deep breaths of air and Chaya was talking to him. 
" He wishes for food," said she to the others, " and to 
go with us ; his canoe has been taken from him. He would 
get it back." 
Hull had some biscuits in his pocket, which he produced, 
and Saji, after a rush to the river bank for a drink, joined 
in with the others. His strength and life had completely 
returned to him, and at the suggestion of Chaya he took the 
lead, being a better woodsman than any of the rest with the 
exception, perhaps, of herself. He had saved his spear. 
Even in the excitement of release he had not forgotten that, 
and he marched now ahead of them with the spear across his 
shoulder, leading the way, and piloting them much more 
quickly than if they had gone without hirs. Chaya and 
Houghton came last. 
" He is full of danger and he must not see us together," 
murmured Chaya, whose hand Houghton was holding for a 
moment. " If he were to hear that, he would try to kill 
you." V 
" Let him," said Houghton laughing, but she released her 
liand. She seemed full of fear of Saji, not for herself but for 
Houghton. Saji, however, had no eyes for anything but the 
road before him. Almost quicker than they could follow him 
he went ahead so that dawn had little more than touched the 
skies above the tree-tops when they reached the lagoon 
bank. 
Th( first thing they saw was the Barracuda moored to the 
opposite bank with the whole width of the lagoon between 
themselves and it. The Barracuda's boat was tied up beside 
the yawl. Not a sign was to be seen of Macquart or his 
companions. 
" \\ill you look at what the swabs have done r " cried Hull. 
" How in the nation are we to get across ? " 
" Thank God, tlie yawl's not gone." said Houghton. 
• ' That's the main point. We'll get across somehow. Let's 
think." 
Even as he spoke, in the vague light that was now filling 
the world, they saw a figure emerging from the trees on the 
opposite bank. It was Macquart. He was carrying some- 
thing in his hand. They saw him board the yawl. 
" He's carrying a basket," said Tillman. " Look at him ! 
He's emptying it down the fo'cs'le hatch. By God, he's 
found the cache and that's the stui^ he's emptying into the 
Barracuda." 
" Looks like it," said HuU, who was standing now on one 
loot and now on the other. " Oh, the swab ! To see him 
and not be able to get me fingers in his hair. Come boys, it's 
round the lagoon or nothing. There ain't no use in trying to 
swim for the place is sure full of sharks. It's a fifteen mile 
tramp but we'll do it." 
But Saji, who had been talking to Chaya, solved the diffi- 
culty in a quicker way. Plunging into the water and still 
carrying liis spear, he struck out for the opposite bank. There 
were sharks here surely, but Saji had no fear of sharks. ■ He 
liad often swum amongst them. 
They saw Macquart make off again among the trees with 
his basket ; he evidently had not seen them, and then they 
saw Saji unmoor the boat. He brought it back, sculling it 
from the stern, and they crowded into her and in less than 
five minutes they were on the deck of the yawl. Hull made 
a dart for the fo'cs'le hatch and tumbled down it ; then thcv 
heard him striking a match and then came his voice. 
" Lord bless my soul ! " The blighter's been fillin' her wath 
clay " Then a wild yell. " Suverins — suverins." Silence 
and another match being struck. " There's suverins all 
scattered on the clay." He came tumbling up, his face 
blazing in the now strong dayl'ght, and in one broad hand 
which he opened wide two sovereigns and some earth. 
" Did you ever see the like of that ! " he cried. " Haff a 
ton of clay the swab has shovelled aboard her with suverins 
all scattered on it. Where's the sense in that ? What's he 
been doin' ? Has he struck the cache or has he hasn't ? Look 
out, here he comes ! " | 
Macquart broke co\-er from the trees as he spoke, basket 
in hand and half running. He saw the men on the deck of 
the yawl but did not notice them in the least. On board he 
came, brushed them aside, rushed to the fo'cs'le hatch and 
emptied his basket. 
They stood horrified. Macquart was no longer a man, 
though retaining a man's image. He seemed Hke a beast in 
the last stages of pursuit. The saliva ran from the corners 
of his mouth, his breath came in sobs and sighs, his face was 
grey-brown as the earth he was carrying, and it was evident, 
now, that, although he did not recognise them in the least, he 
saw them as figures, for he avoided them as, i mpty basket in 
hand he made again for the shore. 
Just as his foot touched the bank, Saji, who had landed, 
seized him by the arm. The effect was instantaneous and 
extraordinary. Macquart'- mind, or what was left of it, 
dropped the idea that was fixed in it and seized upon the idea 
that he was being pursued and seized. With a movement 
swift as light he freed himself and dashed off among the 
trees with the Dyak in pursuit. 
" Now we're done proper ! " cried Hull. " Cuss that 
nigger ! If he'd left that chap alone he could have followed 
him to the cache." 
" We'll find it without him," said Tillman. " It can't be 
far. Follow me, you chaps. See, there's his marks. Why, 
dash it, he's made a regular road." 
They had landed, and following Tillman, they made along 
Macquart's tracks. Tillman was right. Macquart, in those 
endless journeys to and fro had left a road. Trodden down 
leaves and plants; broken lianas, spilt earth, gave indications 
that required no skill in tracking to follow, and when they 
reached the cache everything was plain. 
A burst gold-box lay exposing its contents to the now 
risen sun. Macquart had not touched it. Earth and gold 
were all the same to him. He, who had to empty the world 
into the fo'cs'le of the yawl against time had no time to bother 
with trifles, just as the treasure-seekers now had no time to 
bother about him. 
Hull, after the first shout of discovery, had cast himself 
down on his stomach and, now, laughing like a madman, was 
playing with the contents of the box, laying those tattooed 
hands of his in money. Tillman absolutely crazed, was danc- 
ing like a monkey in the sunlight before Hull. Houghton 
alone held himself together. Chaya was there. As full of 
mad excitement and joy as his companions, the check of the 
woman, who was looking wonderingly on at the antics of the 
, others, held him from any demonstration. He only laughed ; 
then, turning to Chaya, who was laughing also, he seized her 
to him. She did not resist. They were as much alone as 
though the frantic Hull and Tillman were miles away. They 
were screened by the gold. 
Then Hull came to his senses and began to talk almost 
rationally, sitting up and punctuating his remarks with blows 
of his fist on the ground. 
" Oh Lord, Oh Lord ! " cried Hull. " To think of poor old 
Mac gone cracked and shovellin' dirt and leavin' the yellow 
boys ! " 
It was indicative of the Captain's mentnlity that all anger 
against Macquart had vanished to be replaced by furious mirth 
at the tragedy that Fate had shown to them. 
" Man and boy I've worked all me life for tuppence, and 
look at this. Look at me now, and Mac tried to fitcher me 
over the business, and look at Mac ! I tell you, it had to come. 
I felt them «uverins drawing me all me life, and there they 
