The cottage was an uncouth structure. It had originally been a story-and-a-half building, and to this Abernethey had added a sort of wing to make the music-room, and eventually this portion had become the principal bulk of the edifice, for domestic offices had been joined to it, and a second story set above, in which were a number of bedrooms. It was in reference to this second story on the wing that Jake now came with tidings for the treasure-seekers.
“Si Hatch did that-thar job,” he said, with a wheezy chuckle of amused reminiscence. “Si means well, but, ’tween you and me and the lamp-post, he ain’t wuth shucks as a carpenter and j’iner—no, siree! Well, bein’ a cussed fool, Si misca’c’lated somehow, and left ’bout two-fut space at the forrerd end ’tween the outside wall and the lath to that side o’ the bedroom. I s’posed, o’ course, the old man’d be madder’n a hornet, but he only jest grinned some, and says to me, says he, it’ll save that much floorin’ for the bedroom, yes, I snummy, he did! Mighty clus, the old man was.” Jake paused, and regarded the listeners with merrily twinkling eyes. “Might so be as the gold’s in thar,” he concluded. “O’ course, ’tain’t likely, but it might so be.” He stood silent, awaiting comment.
“We’re tremendously obliged, Jake,” Roy declared promptly; and Saxe added a phrase of appreciation.
“Do we have to tear the house down to get into the space?” Roy continued.
Jake shook his head vehemently.
“Not a bit on it,” he declared; and he forthwith gave vent to another chuckling series of explosions.
“You see, the old man was clus, as I said. That’s right, he was gorrammed clus—meanin’ no disrespect. You know that-thar closet in the front hall upstairs, by the bedroom door. Well, the old man said they wa’n’t no earthly use o’ wastin’ good timber puttin’ a back to that closet, with plasterin’ and all. So, he jest had paper put up. You break away the paper, and then you can sidle right in’tween the outside wall and the lath o’ the bedroom; thought it might be wuth while jest to look in, as it were.”
“Indeed, we shall look in,” Saxe declared, “and we’re tremendously grateful to you, Jake, for the tip, because we need a lot of help, I’m thinking.”
Roy nodded assent.
“We appreciate the kindness, old chap,” he exclaimed. “And let me tell you that I’m going to show my friendship by getting you a decent berth, after this wild adventure is over and done with, where you’ll have the chance of your life. Your skill with engines is wasted here; it’s ’way off in Cuba, but it’ll be worth your while. Would you like that?”