In a moment he had it off and to the surprise of his two friends this swelled portion of the imitation limb was hollow. From this cavity he drew forth first a bulky wallet and then a package of papers wrapped in oiled paper.
“There ye be,” he declared, with satisfaction. “If I’d known about them di’monds afore we left the brig, I sh’d have had the cap’n let me hide ’em in this ’ere timber leg. Then we’d have been saved a mighty sight o’ bother.”
CHAPTER XX
THE CONTENTS OF SEVERAL INTERESTING DOCUMENTS
“Well, of all things!” ejaculated Mr. Pepper, as the old sailor produced the papers from their queer repository, while Brandon burst out laughing.
“There’s some reasons for being grateful for even a wooden leg,” remarked Caleb grimly. “I hid those papers there when I was aboard the raft, and if I’d passed in my checks I reckon papers an’ all would have gone to the sharks, for Leroyd would never have thought to look there for ’em.”
Then he strapped the artificial limb in place again, and gravely handed the package to Brandon. The boy had lost all desire to laugh now, for he was in possession of the last written words of his father, and for a moment his hands trembled and his eyes filled with tears.
“Open it, my lad,” said the sailor. “I haven’t touched the wrapper since Cap’n Horace gave it to me.”
Brandon untied the string which bound the package, and removed the oiled paper. There were several folded documents within and one was marked:
“To my son, Brandon,
Horace Tarr.”
Don quickly opened the paper, recognizing the chirography of the dead captain at once, although much of the writing was blurred and illy formed, showing how great a tax the effort had been for the injured and dying man. It read as follows: