"You are right, my wife, wonderful treasure indeed! Does the Pirate mean to let us carry it off?"
"The Pirate invites you to a meal. He is tired of a very lonely life and welcomes treasure seekers to his home."
It was the young man who spoke. The children dashed into the hut, Charlie clutching his tin box. There another surprise awaited them.
A kettle was boiling merrily. A cake was on the table, and some ham sandwiches. The Pirate had cups and saucers, and was measuring tea into a brown teapot.
"We have no cow on the island, but we have sugar and good tea. Let us fall to!"
It seemed like magic. The children sat up round a little table and they had a merry meal. After it was over, the treasure box was produced and the treasures divided. The Pirate took one of the peach stones. Charity took the other.
"I as Captain's wife have first choice," she said. "I am going to plant this wonderful seed, and perhaps it will spring up into a magic tree which will reach the sun."
Charlie gave Hope and Faith a farthing each.
"A guinea for Bolt and Ben," he said. "I being Captain keep the blue diamond and a guinea, my wife can have the other."
Then the Pirate pulled out his pipe, and sitting cross legged on the ground told them the most wonderful story of how the treasures had been obtained and hidden away. The children listened breathlessly, but at last the Captain said it was getting late, and they must go. The Pirate took them back to their raft, and then he surprised them again. He got out a very small boat from under the willows, tucked himself into it, and fastening the rope of the raft to his painter, rowed gaily off down the stream, towing the children back to the spot where he found them. Then he bade them good-bye.