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in at the open door。 〃Say； you
fellows；〃 he complained； 〃I got to be
up at three o'clock。 Ain't you never
going to turn in？〃 〃Shut up；
Doctor！〃 〃Somebody kill him！〃
〃Here； sit down and listen to this
yarn！〃 yelled a savage chorus。
There ensued a slight scuffle； a few
objections。 Then silence； and the
stranger took up his story。
I had a chum named Billy Simpson； and I rung him in for friendship。
Then there was a solemn； tall Texas young fellow； strong as a bull； straight
and tough； brought up fighting Injins。 He never said much； but I knew
he'd be right there when the gong struck。 For fourth man I picked out a
German named Schwartz。 He and Simpson had just come back from the
mines together。 I took him because he was a friend of Billy's； and
besides was young and strong； and was the only man in town excepting
the sailor； Anderson； who knew anything about running a boat。 I forgot
to say that the Texas fellow was named Denton。 Handy Solomon
had his boat all picked out。 It belonged to some Basques who had sailed
her around from California。 I must say when I saw her I felt inclined to
renig； for she wasn't more'n about twenty…five feet long； was open except
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for a little sort of cubbyhole up in the front of her； had one mast； and was
pointed at both ends。 However； Schwartz said she was all right。 He
claimed he knew the kind； that she was the sort used by French fishermen；
and could stand all sorts of trouble。 She didn't look it。 We worked
her up to Yuma； partly with oars and partly by sails。 Then we loaded her
with grub for a month。 Each of us had his own weapons； of course。 In
addition we put in picks and shovels； and a small cask of water。 Handy
Solomon said that would be enough； as there was water marked down on
his chart。 We told the gang that we were going trading。 At the end
of the week we started； and were out four days。 There wasn't much room；
what with the supplies and the baggage； for the five of us。 We had to curl
up 'most anywheres to sleep。 And it certainly seemed to me that we were
in lots of danger。 The waves were much bigger than she was； and
splashed on us considerable； but Schwartz and Anderson didn't seem to
mind。 They laughed at us。 Anderson sang that song of his； and
Schwartz told us of the placers he had worked。 He and Simpson had
made a pretty good clean…up； just enough to make them want to get rich。
The first day out Simpson showed us a belt with about an hundred ounces
of dust。 This he got tired of wearing； so he kept it in a compass…box；
which was empty。 At the end of the four days we turned in at a deep
bay and came to anchor。 The country was the usual propositionvery
light…brown； brittle…looking mountains； about two thousand feet high； lots
of sage and cactus； a pebbly beach； and not a sign of anything fresh and
green。 But Denton and I were mighty glad to see any sort of land。
Besides； our keg of water was pretty low； and it was getting about time to
discover the spring the chart spoke of。 So we piled our camp stuff in the
small boat and rowed ashore。
Anderson led the way confidently enough up a dry arroyo； whose sides
were clay and conglomerate。 But； though we followed it to the end； we
could find no indications that it was anything more than a wash for rain
floods。 〃That's main queer；〃 muttered Anderson； and returned to the
beach。 There he spread out the chartthe first look at it we'd had
and set to studying it。
It was a careful piece of work done in India ink； pretty old； to judge by
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the look of it； and with all sorts of pictures of mountains and dolphins and
ships and anchors around the edge。 There was our bay； all right。 Two
crosses were marked on the land partone labelled 〃oro〃 and the other
〃agua。〃 〃Now there's the high cliff；〃 says Anderson； following it out；
〃and there's the round hill with the boulderand if them bearings don't
point due for that ravine； the devil's a preacher。〃 We tried it again；
with the same result。 A second inspection of the map brought us no light
on the question。 We talked it over； and looked at it from all points； but
we couldn't dodge the truth： the chart was wrong。
Then we explored several of the nearest gullies； but without finding
anything but loose stones baked hot in the sun。 By now it was getting
towards sundown； so we built us a fire of mesquite on the beach； made us
supper； and boiled a pot of beans。 We talked it over。 The water was
about gone。 〃That's what we've got to find first；〃 said Simpson； 〃no
question of it。 It's God knows how far to the next water； and we don't
know how long it will take us to get there in that little boat。 If we run our
water entirely out before we start； we're going to be in trouble。 We'll
have a good look to…morrow； and if we don't find her； we'll run down to
Mollyhay＇4＇ and get a few extra casks。〃
＇4＇ Mulege … I retain the Old Timer's pronunciation。
〃Perhaps that map is wrong about the treasure； too；〃 suggested
Denton。 〃I thought of that；〃 said Handy Solomon； 〃but then； thinks
I to myself； this old rip probably don't make no long stay herejust dodges
in and out like； between tides； to bury his loot。 He would need no water
at the time； but he might when he came back； so he marked the water on
his map。 But he wasn't noways particular AND exact； being in a hurry。
But you can kiss the Book to it that he didn't make no such mistakes about
the swag。〃 〃I believe you're right；〃 said I。 When we came to turn
in； Anderson suggested that he should sleep aboard the boat。 But Billy
Simpson； in mind perhaps of the hundred ounces in the compass…box；
insisted that he'd just as soon as not。 After a little objection Handy
Solomon gave in； but I thought he seemed sour about it。 We buil