“I swear it by the poisons of Colchia,” continued the other indignantly. “By the waters of the Styx, by the sands of the Pactolus, by the spells of Medea, by the thunderbolts of Jove, by the sandals of Mercury——”
The Parson would probably have continued swearing by everything known to mythology, keeping up until “taps” stopped him. But by that time the conspirators saw fit to believe him.
“This is an extraordinary state of affairs,” said Mark, solemnly. “Really, fellows, do you know I think we ought to go?”
“B’gee, so do I,” cried Dewey.
“I was about to extend you an invitation,” said the Parson. “For my part I am determined to go this very night. Nothing shall stop me, gentlemen. My mind is made up. That treasure, revealed to me under such circumstances, I am determined to secure, and that in spite of whatever dangers I may meet, whatever foes may oppose me, whatever——”
“Bully for the Parson!” whispered Texas. “He’s gittin’ spunky.”
“We are by no means the first,” said the solemn scholar, “to undertake a dangerous search for wealth. The ancient poets sang of Jason and the Argonauts and the Search for the Golden Fleece.”
“This yere’s the biggest golden ‘fleece’ of any of ’em,” observed Texas, slyly. But the Parson didn’t hear that.
He continued all innocent and unsuspecting as ever. And when the Seven went to sleep at last it was with a solemn promise on their lips to be up and doing in time to reach the “cave” by midnight.
As for the Parson, he did not sleep at all; he was too excited. The Parson was in a regular Captain Kidd humor that night. Gold! Gold! He waited impatiently until the “tac” had inspected after taps, and then he turned over on his back and stared at the roof of the tent and lay thinking over the extraordinary adventure he had met with, and the still more extraordinary adventures that were likely to result from it. He was even going so far as to speculate what he was going to do with his wealth. He’d divide it among the rest, of course. And what magnificent fossils he was going to purchase with his share!