As for the little girls, they were helping to pack up the lunch baskets; for the released prisoners were now ready to go home, and some of the pirates were going with them.
CHAPTER VIII
TREASURE TROVE
ONE morning, about a week later, three of the pirates—Tom, Charlie, and Kenneth—got into a dory and rowed away from the harbor. It was Tom’s own boat, of which he was very proud. He had spent all his life near and in and on the water, and he was a splendid boatman. Mr. Thornton was not afraid to let the children go with him in his dory, but he made them promise that never more than two should go with Tom at one time.
The pirates had with them in the boat three spades; they looked very sly, as though they were upon a secret errand. Tom was the leader in this adventure, and he seemed to know just where to go. They rowed around the Point and then straight out into the bay towards a little rocky island, beyond the other islands. They followed the shore of it until they came to an inlet with a smooth beach beyond.
“This is the place,” said Tom, jumping out and pulling up the boat. “Come on, fellows!”
He raced up the beach followed by the other two, and climbed a bank. At the top was a spring of cool, clear water under a tree, and close beside it was a huge rock.
“Look at that!” cried Tom, pointing at the rock. “What do you think of that?”
The rock was split into two flat pieces, each almost square, which lay side by side. It looked like a great book spread open.
“It is the very rock that Aunt Clare told about in the story!” cried Charlie.
“Where is the mound?” asked Kenneth eagerly. “Oh, I see! This must be it.”