They crowded to the rail eager for their rescue.

FAIRVIEW BOYS AT LIGHT-
HOUSE COVE

OR

CARRIED OUT TO SEA

BY

FREDERICK GORDON

AUTHOR OF "FAIRVIEW BOYS AFLOAT AND ASHORE," "FAIRVIEW
BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS," "FAIRVIEW BOYS
AT CAMP MYSTERY," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

CHARLES E. GRAHAM & CO.
NEWARK, N. J. —— NEW YORK

BOOKS FOR BOYS

By FREDERICK GORDON

FAIRVIEW BOYS SERIES

Illustrated. Price, per volume,
75 cents, postpaid.

FAIRVIEW BOYS AFLOAT AND ASHORE
Or, The Young Crusoes of Pine Island
FAIRVIEW BOYS ON EAGLE MOUNTAIN
Or, Sammy Brown's Treasure Hunt
FAIRVIEW BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS
Or, Bob Bouncer's Schooldays
FAIRVIEW BOYS AT CAMP MYSTERY
Or, The Old Hermit and His Secret
FAIRVIEW BOYS AT LIGHTHOUSE COVE
Or, Carried Out to Sea
FAIRVIEW BOYS ON A RANCH
Or, Riding with the Cowboys

Copyright, 1914, by

GRAHAM & MATLACK

Fairview Boys At Lighthouse Cove

CONTENTS

Fairview Boys at Lighthouse Cove

OR

CARRIED OUT TO SEA

CHAPTER I VACATION PLANS

"Last day of school; hurray!"

"No more lessons! No more books!"

"Nothing but fun, from now on! I say, Frank, catch Sammy; he's going to fall!"

Three boys were standing together in the school yard, making merry over the coming of the Summer vacation. The last one who spoke was a jolly-looking lad, with a gleam of mischief in his eyes. Suddenly he put out his foot, caught it around the ankle of one of his companions, and gently pushed him over backwards.

"Catch Sammy, Frank!" he cried, and the other boy grasped the toppling one just in time.

"I told you so!" cried the fun-loving lad, as he sprang to one side.

"Look here, Bob Bouncer, what do you mean by that?" demanded the one who had been pushed, as he stood upright again. "What did you do that for?" and he started toward his companion.

"Oh, it was only a joke," answered the one who had been called Bob Bouncer. "I wanted to have some fun. I feel just full of fun when I think what good times I'm going to have this Summer."

"Huh! just because you feel good you needn't knock me all around," went on Sammy Brown. But, though he spoke a bit crossly he could not help smiling at Bob, who was making funny faces, and dancing about, just out of reach.

"I didn't hurt you," cried Bob, who was generally "cutting-up," or thinking up some joke to play on his chums. "I waited until Frank was there to catch you before I shoved you."

"Humph! You're getting mighty thoughtful, all of a sudden," said Bob. "What about it, Frank?"

"That's right," answered the third lad. "I didn't know what he meant when he said I was to catch you, for you were going to fall. Let up, Bob, can't you?"

"Yes, I won't do anything more—right away. But say, have you fellows made any plans for this Summer?"

"Oh, I s'pose the folks'll go way as they always do," said Frank. "My father was talking about some place in the mountains."

"Near a lake?" asked Bob.

"I don't believe so. I didn't hear much about it."

"Then I wouldn't go," said Sammy. "I want to be near the water. We're going to a cottage near a big mountain lake, I think."

"That sounds good!" cried Frank. "I wish we were going near a lake. I want to learn to sail a boat the right way this year."

"Yes, then we won't have any more shipwrecks, the way we did when we went out in the Puff," laughed Bob.

"Where are your folks going?" asked Frank, of the lad who had pushed Sam into his arms.

"To the seashore for ours! It's the first time since I was a little fellow, and I'm going to have lots of fun. We're going on a sort of cove, where there's still-water swimming, and lots of fishing and crabbing. Not far off, is the regular ocean, but of course I won't be allowed to do much swimming in that. I can hang on the bathing ropes, though. Oh, I'm going to have some great times all right!"

Bob Bouncer's two chums looked rather enviously at him. He seemed to be going to have the best time that Summer vacation.

About the three boys was gathered a crowd of other school children. There was laughter, talk, and various kinds of excitement, for it was the last day of the term, and, after some simple exercises, the building would be closed for the long vacation.

Because of this, discipline was a little relaxed. It was a little past the regular opening hour, but the principal, Mr. Tetlow, did not want to mark any one tardy on that last day, so he told the janitor not to be in too much of a hurry to ring the bell.

On all sides were heard questions,

"Did you pass?"

"Where are you going this Summer?"

"Oh, did you hear about Henry Black?"

"No, what about him?"

"Why, he didn't pass again. This is the third time he'll be in the fifth grade."

"Oh, isn't that too bad! But you know he won't study."

"No, he's too fond of fun."

"Who are you talking about; Bob Bouncer?" asked someone who had just come into the yard.

"No, Henry Black."

"Oh, him! Say, isn't it time we went in? I've got to speak a piece."

"I'm glad I don't have to. I'm only in the chorus."

And so it went on, boys and girls from the higher grammar grades down to the kindergarten, talking and laughing together.

Finally, when the last of the straggling pupils had reached the school, the bell was rung, calling them into the big auditorium, where the closing exercises would be held. These would be over about noon, and there would be no other session.

After the usual exercises, singing, and the reading from the Bible, Mr. Tetlow said that there would be music and declamation. That last was a word the smaller pupils used but little. They called it "speaking pieces."

Nellie Somers was in the midst of declaiming a sad little piece about a boy who had lost his pocketbook. She recited the line:

"Where, oh, where, is Donald's money?"

And then, suddenly, as she paused for a moment, Bob Bouncer said in a shrill whisper:

"Fellows, I've got it!"

Instantly there was laughter, and poor Nellie, up on the platform, blushed and was unable to go on. All eyes were shifted to Bob, who turned red, and the principal, rising suddenly, looked sternly at the lad.

"Who said that?" he asked, sharply.

"I—I did, sir," stammered Bob.

"Why did you do it? Did you want to make trouble, and cause Nellie to feel badly—saying you had the pocketbook she spoke of?"

"No, sir. I didn't mean anything about a pocketbook. I wasn't even listening to what Nellie said."

"Then why did you speak? What did you mean when you said, so we all could hear you, that you had it?"

Bob looked first at Frank, and then at Sammy. They, too, were wondering what he had meant by speaking aloud in school, especially during the closing exercises.

"I—I meant that I had an—idea," went on Bob, blushing redder than before.

"Well," said Mr. Tetlow, "perhaps you meant no wrong, but the next time you get an idea, please don't announce it to the whole school that way, and interrupt the proceedings." He was smiling now, and Bob knew he was forgiven.

Bob was usually a pretty good boy in school, and the principal realized this, for a thing like that had never happened before. Bob's explanation was accepted, and, as it was the last day, Mr. Tetlow did not want to punish him.

"Steady now! Quiet down!" said Mr. Tetlow to the pupils, for many of them showed signs of laughter again. "We will overlook it this time, Bob, but don't do it again. You may go on, Nellie. I think Bob is sorry he interrupted you."

"Yes, sir, I am," said Bob, earnestly.

Nellie smiled down at him, for he and she were good friends. Then she finished reciting her piece, and was applauded, and the rest of the exercises went on. Then came the giving of diplomas to those who were to graduate from the grammar department.

This was followed by the awarding of some prizes, and certificates of good conduct, and for prompt and punctual attendance. Then, with a final song by the whole school, the program ended.

"School is dismissed, until the middle of September!" announced Mr. Tetlow, and with happy faces the children marched out to a lively tune, played by Miss Williams, one of the teachers.

In the yard there was more talk and laughter, as the boys and girls started for their homes.

"Did you hear what Bob Bouncer said?"

"Sure! We all did!"

"Wasn't he terrible?"

"And how awful Nellie must have felt! I was real sorry for her."

"So was I. Bob was scared too, I guess."

Thus Bob's companions talked about him.

Frank and Sammy made their way through the crowd to the side of their chum.

"Say, what in the world was the matter with you?" demanded Frank.

"Were you talking in your sleep?" Sammy wanted to know.

"No, I wasn't," answered Bob, quickly. "It was just as I told Mr. Tetlow. I suddenly got an idea, and, before I knew it, I popped out and said it. I didn't even know Nellie was speaking, as I was thinking of something else."

"What was it?" asked Frank.

"Yes, you may as well tell us, now that you went that far," added Sammy.

"Well, it was an idea about our Summer vacation," went on Bob. "Our folks are going to the seashore, you know, and I don't see any reason why you fellows can't come too."

"There are two good reasons," said Frank. "I have one, and Sammy has the other."

"None of our folks are going to the shore," said Sammy. "I wish we were, though, for we could have lots of fun together. Now we'll be a couple of hundred miles apart," he added, in disappointed tones.

"And that's just what my idea is about!" exclaimed Bob. "There's no use in us being separated. Look here, fellows, our folks are going to take a big cottage at the shore. It's too big a house for us, for I heard mom say so. But we couldn't get a smaller one. But I'm glad of it, for now there's going to be room for you two fellows. So why can't you come to the shore with me?"

"That would be swell!" cried Frank.

"It sure would," agreed Sammy. "But would our folks let us?"

"The only way to find out is to ask!" declared Bob quickly. "Come on, I'll go around with you and we'll see if they won't let you fellows go."

"First you'd better find out if your mother will want us," suggested Frank, who was quite practical, at times.

"Yes, we don't want to invite ourselves," put in Sammy. "My mother will be sure to ask first what your mother said, Bob."

"All right, then, we can go around to my house, and I'll ask mom. But I know she will want to have you. Say, maybe we won't have some good times together this Summer!"

"Where are you going?" asked Frank.

"To a place called Lighthouse Cove. There's a lighthouse there, and dangerous rocks, a bay, and——"

"Any pirate treasure buried there?" asked Sammy, quickly.

"Ho! Ho! Listen to him!" cried Frank. "There he goes again, making up a mystery before he's even seen the place."

"Well, there might be pirate gold!" cried Sammy, stoutly.

"And you can have a hunt for it, if you'll only come," said Bob.

"Oh, I'll be sure to come if the folks will let me," replied Sammy. "Come on, let's hurry."

The three boys left their other school companions behind, and hastened on toward Bob's house. As Bob had said she would, his mother readily agreed to the plan of having Sammy and Frank go to the seashore cottage with the Bouncer family.

"Mr. Bouncer and I will be very glad to have you," she said to Sammy and Frank. "You will be company for Bob, and I won't have to amuse him so much. Come, by all means. I'll write notes to each of your mothers, inviting you, and then they'll know it will be all right."

The notes were soon ready, and Frank and Sammy, accompanied by Bob, set off for the homes of the two chums, to get the desired permission.

"Let me know whether or not you can go," Mrs. Bouncer called after Frank and Sammy.

"We will!" they chorused.

"And if you do go, be sure to bring picks and shovels to dig for the pirate gold," she added, with a smile.

"What's that!" cried Sammy, eagerly, and he started back on the run toward Mrs. Bouncer, who stood in the doorway of her house.

CHAPTER II AT LIGHTHOUSE COVE

"Here, where are you going, Sammy?"

"Come back here, we want to get this thing settled!"

Thus Frank and Bob called after their chum, who was headed toward where Mrs. Bouncer still stood on the steps.

"I'm going to find out about that pirate gold!" answered Sammy, never turning around.

"There he goes again!" cried Bob. "I wonder what mother meant by saying that? She never told me about any pirates."

"Maybe we'd better go back and see," suggested Frank. "We'll never get the straight of it from Sammy."

"All right, I'm with you," said Bob, and the two followed their chum.

And while they are thus trying to get at the meaning of the remark made by Mrs. Bouncer I will take just a few minutes to tell my new readers something about the three chums and their friends, as well as about their adventures, which I have set down in the other books of this series.

The first volume was named "Fairview Boys Afloat and Ashore; Or, The Young Crusoes of Pine Island." In that I told how Frank Haven, Sammy Brown and Bob Bouncer went sailing in the Puff, how the craft was wrecked, and how the boys had to live on Pine Island for some days before they were rescued.

"Fairview Boys on Eagle Mountain; Or, Sammy Brown's Treasure Hunt," was the name of the second book, and in that you can read how Sammy, in looking through an old trunk in the attic, discovered a curious document. It told of treasure, and he and his two chums at once set off for Eagle Mountain to discover it.

In the third book, called "Fairview Boys and their Rivals; Or, Bob Bouncer's Schooldays," the chums had a different form of excitement. There was a fire in the school and a jewelry store robbery. How the stolen things were finally recovered, and what part Bob Bouncer had in it, you will find set down in the book.

Then came the fourth volume, called "Fairview Boys at Camp Mystery; Or, The Old Hermit and His Secret." In that the boys had an invitation to visit an old hunter, who lived on a part of Pine Island they had never explored.

Almost as soon as they reached the island the boys discovered a curious aged hermit, who seemed very angry at them. They also found a mysterious room, in an old mansion, and what they found there, how they were startled by an explosion, and what the old hermit's secret was—all that you will find written down in the fourth book.

The boys spent most of the Christmas vacation on Pine Island, and now winter was over, Spring had come and gone, Summer was at hand, and they were ready for warm weather vacation fun.

I might add just a line or two about the boys themselves. Frank Haven was a straightforward, every-day kind of chap, with many likeable qualities. He was a sort of leader for the other two, they generally looking to him for advice.

Bob Bouncer, as you have probably guessed, was a "cut-up." He liked jokes and fun, but was never mean in them. He could never resist playing tricks when he got the chance.

Sammy Brown was a queer chap. He was fond of reading stories of adventures in strange countries, and he loved books on treasure hunting. And it finally became so that, on the slightest chance, he would imagine that he, himself, might one day discover a gold or diamond mine, or stumble on some mysterious hoard of pirate gold.

Once, as the readers of my other books know, Sammy did start on a treasure hunt. It had an unexpected ending. And again Sammy was sure he had discovered, on Pine Island, a band of men who made counterfeit money. I leave you to find out for yourself what it really was he came across.

The boys lived in the town of Fairview, on the shores of Rainbow Lake, a large body of water, containing many islands, the largest of them being Pine.

Bob and his two chums had many friends. They went to the same school, were in the same class, and were so often together that it was strange to see one of them out alone.

They usually spent their Summer vacations together, and this was the first time, in some years, that there was a prospect of parting. But Bob believed he had gotten up a plan that would avoid this. It was this plan which was about to be put to the test on this last day of school.

"Wait a minute; can't you, Sammy?" called Bob to his chum, who was hurrying toward Mrs. Bouncer. "Don't go so fast. My mother isn't going to run away."

"I guess maybe he thinks someone else will get ahead of him, and find that pirate gold," suggested Frank. "It's queer your mother never told you about it."

"Maybe it's a joke," said Bob. "Ma likes to have fun with us, once in a while."

Sammy kept on until he stood in front of Bob's mother. Then he burst out with:

"What's that you said about a pirate, Mrs. Bouncer? Is there really one at Lighthouse Cove? If there is I'm going to have a hunt for his gold. Did he hide it in a cave, or bury it on the beach? And is there an old map of it, drawn in blood?"

Sammy Brown's eyes were shining with eagerness.

"Oh, what a funny boy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bouncer, with a laugh. "I never expected you would take me up so quickly."

"Why, is it a joke, ma?" asked Bob.

"I don't know whether it is or not," Mrs. Bouncer replied, and she did not smile this time. "I really don't know why I mentioned it," she went on. "It slipped out before I knew it."

"Then there is really pirate gold there; is there?" asked Bob.

"Oh, as to that I can't say. You see, boys, it's this way. I did not intend to speak of it to you, Bob, until we got there, for I didn't want any excitement. But, since it slipped from me, I'll tell you all I know.

"When I went down to Lighthouse Cove, in the Spring, to see about hiring a cottage for the Summer, I met an old sailor who had charge of some of the places that were shut up for the Winter. After looking at several cottages I picked out one named 'Barnacle.' It was a little too large, but it was in an ideal spot, right in the centre of the cove shore. It is lovely there, and near the lighthouse.

"Well, I was talking to this old sailor, whose name is Hamp Salina, and I asked him if Lighthouse Cove was a good place for a lively boy to have fun—I was thinking of you, Bob."

"What did he say?" asked Bob, eagerly.

"Well, he said it was the finest spot a boy could wish for, and if everything else failed to amuse him, he could spend his time digging for the pirate gold. I asked him what he meant, and he said there was a rumor that one of the old-time freebooters had come ashore at Lighthouse Cove once, and buried part of his ill-gotten treasure there."

"Did you ask him where it was buried?" asked Sammy, eagerly.

"Oh, yes, but Hamp said he didn't know, and no one else did, though at different times many persons had dug for the gold."

"Did they find any?" asked Frank.

"Never, so the old sailor said. I'm sorry, now, that I mentioned it, for you boys won't do anything else but look for it, I'm afraid."

"We surely will have a try for it!" declared Sammy, earnestly.

"That's what!" exclaimed Bob.

"We'll have to get on the right side of Hamp Salina," said Frank. "Maybe he knows more than he's told."

"Well, don't count too much on it, and then you won't be disappointed," advised Mrs. Bouncer, with a smile. "You'd best run along now, Frank and Sammy, and see if your parents will let you come with Bob."

"If my folks don't let me go," said Sammy, slowly, as he thought of the chance of the pirate's treasure, "if they won't let me go, I—I won't go with them. I'll stay here in Fairview all Summer."

"And so will I!" cried Frank. "But I'm sure they'll let us."

Frank proved to be a good prophet. When Mrs. Haven and Mrs. Brown had read the notes written by Mrs. Bouncer, inviting the boys to Barnacle Cottage, they at once gave their consents. As Mrs. Brown said to Mrs. Haven:

"We'd never have any peace with our boys if they were alone with us, at the places to which we are going. They'd much better be together."

"I think so, too," said Mrs. Haven.

So it was arranged, and Sammy and Frank were wild with delight.

"I can go!" shouted Sammy, as he came rushing out of the house, after his mother had consented. "I can go, Bob!"

"I can go," shouted Sammy.

"That's fine!"

"And we'll get that pirate gold!" added Frank, with a grin as he came out of his house to give the good news that he, too, could go.

"We'll, if we don't, we'll have fun anyhow," said Bob, who never had much faith in the wild plans of Sammy Brown.

"Oh, we'll get it!" declared Sammy. "All we need to do is to discover the right place and dig."

"Yes, discover it the way you discovered the treasure on Eagle Mountain!" laughed Bob.

"Oh, well, something came of that!" declared Sammy, in some confusion.

"Yes, something," admitted Bob, "but not what you expected. Now let's begin packing."

It was some days yet before the journey to Lighthouse Cove would be made, but the boys were so eager that they began to get ready at once.

Finally they did start. It was half a day's journey from Fairview to the seashore, and Lighthouse Cove was reached about three o'clock in the afternoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Bouncer, the servants, and the three boys drove up from the station in a large carriage.

"There's the cottage!" exclaimed Mrs. Bouncer, pointing to a large one a little way up from the beach of the cove. "Yes, and there's old Hamp to welcome us."

"What, the sailor who knows about the pirate gold?" cried Sammy. "I must see him at once!" And, without waiting for the carriage to stop, he gave a flying leap out of it.

CHAPTER III SAMMY GETS A CLUE

"What a boy!" cried Mr. Bouncer, in dismay.

"He'll be hurt! Stop the carriage!" exclaimed Mrs. Bouncer.

"Not a bit of it, ma'am!" grunted the old man who was driving the horses. "Boys never get hurt. They always land on their feet, like cats, ma'am. He's all right—there he goes," he added, looking over the side of the carriage.

He had, however, pulled up the horses, who came to a stop. Then Mr. and Mrs. Bouncer could see that Sammy was indeed all right. He was running across the sand toward an aged man who was seated on an overturned boat, not far from the Bouncer Cottage.

"Is that the sailor who told you about the pirate gold?" Bob wanted to know.

"Yes," said his mother, "but——"

"Come on!" cried Bob to Frank. "We can't let Sammy get ahead of us on this. May we go, Mother?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose so," she sighed, with a look at her husband, who smiled and nodded. "We can unpack better if you boys are out of the house, anyhow," she added. "But don't be gone too long."

"Only long enough to find out about the pirate treasure," answered Bob, as he and Frank got out of the carriage to run after Sammy, who was already close to the old sailor.

"Wait—wait for us!" called Bob to his chum, and though Sammy was in a great hurry, he felt that, as he was the guest of Bob, it would be no more than polite to halt until he and Frank came up. Then, together, the three chums approached the old sailor, who was sitting calmly on the overturned boat, smoking a short pipe.

"Good-afternoon," greeted Bob.

"Arternoon!" mumbled the old man. "Are you the Bouncer boys?" he asked, turning to look at the carriage, that was drawing up at Barnacle Cottage.

"I'm one of 'em," answered Bob. "These are my chums."

"Hum! I thought your mother said, when she come down to rent that cottage, that she had three boys."

"Oh, she says that because we're always together," explained Frank. "My mother says the same thing."

"Hum!" mused the old sailor. "Well, I'm glad to see you. I likes young people—'specially boys. They make a place a bit lively, and it's dull enough here all Winter. In Summer the cottagers come, and then it ain't so bad. I used to be a sailor but now I fish and rent boats," he went on, "and if you're going to hire one for the season I'll let you have a good one."

"Oh, we'll be sure to want a boat," Bob said, "but I guess my father will pick it out."

Sammy, by nods and winks, had been trying to signal to Bob to ask some questions about the treasure, and Bob, knowing that Sammy was anxious to hear what there was in the story, said:

"My friend here, Sammy Brown, wants to ask you some questions, Mr. Salina."

"Fire away!" invited the old fisherman. "I've got a little time yet 'fore I go treading for clams. What is it?"

"About the pirate treasure!" exclaimed Sammy, eagerly. "Mrs. Bouncer said you told her about it. Where is it—we'd like to dig for it!"

The old man did not answer for a few seconds. He was too busily engaged in chuckling silently. He chuckled so hard that he took a wrong breath on his pipe, some smoke went down his throat, and he coughed and spluttered so wildly that the boys thought he was having a fit. But finally he regained control of his breathing, though he was rather red in the face, and there were tears in his eyes.

"Excuse me," he said. "Excuse me, boys. I didn't mean to be impolite, but I'm sorry you took so much stock in that pirate treasure yarn."

"Isn't there any?" asked Sammy, in disappointed tones.

"Well, there is and there isn't," said the old sailor. "That is to say there's a story all right enough, but as to there being any treasure I don't know. Nobody does, for sure, I guess."

"Will you tell us about it?" pleaded Sammy.

"Yes, go ahead," urged Frank. "That's the only way we'll have any peace—to get it out of Sammy's system as soon as we can."

"Huh! I guess you're as anxious as I am!" exclaimed Sammy. "Go ahead, please," he added, to the sailor.

"Well, I don't mind spinning the yarn for you," was the answer. "It won't take long. The story's been going the rounds of this beach ever since I can remember. To sum it all up, some of the old-timers claim that a good many years ago a pirate ship was wrecked here."

"Right here?" asked Sammy.

"Well, out where you see them rocks," spoke the sailor, pointing with the stem of his pipe. "There wasn't any lighthouse in them days, and you wouldn't know the rocks were there, especially at high tide, when they're covered.

"Anyhow there was a ship wrecked on 'em. That part's true enough, for you can see what's left of her now, at low tide. But whether she was a pirate craft, or not, I won't undertake to say.

"But the story is that when the crew found they couldn't get the ship off the rocks, they took to the boats and came ashore, bringing their booty with 'em. What the booty was the story differs on. One yarn is that it was gold, another says silver, and a third diamonds. You can take your choice," and the old sailor chuckled, but this time he was careful not to swallow any smoke.

"I'll take diamonds," said Bob, with a snicker.

"Oh, please go on," urged Sammy, eagerly, and the sailor resumed.

"The story goes," he went on, "that the pirate crew, having lost their ship, buried the treasure, and went looking for another vessel. But they never got one. They had been trying to escape from a man-o'-war when they ran upon the rocks, and the government ship traced 'em here. The marines came ashore, soon after the pirates landed, and attacked 'em. That was the end of the pirates."

The old sailor paused, and lighted his pipe, which had gone out.

"Is—is that all?" asked Sammy, and his voice showed his disappointment.

"That's all," answered the sailor, solemnly.

"But what became of the pirate treasure?" asked Frank.

"Nobody knows. It may be buried here, or the marines may have got it. My own opinion is there never was any treasure. But lots of folks says there was."

"And if there was any, where would it be?" asked Bob.

"Oh, 'most anywhere around here," answered Mr. Salina, with a wave of his arm that took in the whole of the Cove. "You can start in and dig where you like," he chuckled. "Nobody'll stop you. In fact there's been a good many folks, off and on, digging around here, for quite a few years back."

"Did any of 'em ever find anything?" exclaimed Sammy.

"Nary a one," laughed the old sailor. "It's all left for you boys to find."

"Well, maybe we can, after all," said Sammy, as he saw his chums looking at him and smiling. "I'm going to have a try, anyhow."

"It will take more than one Summer to dig all over this place," spoke Bob. "And it will spoil all our other fun. I want to have some swimming, boating and crabbing. You can have all the treasure you get, Sammy."

Sammy did not reply. He was looking toward the rocks, where, according to the story, the pirate vessel had been wrecked. Then he turned his gaze toward the shore, and looked up and down the beach. Was there a treasure buried in it? He hoped so. Yet he had been deceived so many times before!

"Come boys!" called Mrs. Bouncer, from the porch of the cottage. "I want you to go to the store for some things for supper. Then, too, I want to plan your sleeping rooms."

"We'll see you again," said Sammy, to the old sailor. "Maybe you can pick out the best spots for us to dig for the treasure."

"Not me!" exclaimed the old man, quickly and sharply. "I won't have anything to do with it. In the first place pirate gold is unlucky, and in the second place I've seen too many folks let their business go to rack and ruin spending their time looking for this treasure. I won't have anything to do with it."

Sammy looked a bit uncomfortable, and the old sailor, seeing this, hastened to add:

"But that needn't stop you from searching for the treasure—if there is any. Dig as much as you like, only don't ask me to be responsible. You ask your father about hiring a boat off me," he added to Bob. "I makes my living—such as it is—that way—that and clamming and crabbing. It's a hard way to earn money, but it's more sure than looking for pirate gold," and he laughed.

The boys raced to the cottage, where Mrs. Bouncer waited for them. The three chums gave a hasty look about the place, and voted that it was the finest spot for a Summer vacation they had ever seen. It was but a few steps to the water, and they could put on their bathing suits in the house, and run down the beach for a dip.

Inside the cottage Mr. Bouncer and the two servants were unpacking trunks, and getting out garments and bedding. Mrs. Bouncer gave to Bob a list of the things she wanted from the store. The house was only a short distance to the village, and the three boys walked along the beach to a road that led to the town, where the stores were.

"Well, what do you think of it now?" asked Bob.

"Think of what?" inquired Frank.

"The treasure."

Frank winked, and glanced at Sammy.

"Oh, I know what you mean," put in Sammy, quickly. "You think it's all a joke. But I may show you fellows yet that it isn't."

"I wish you would!" exclaimed Bob. "I'd like a little loose gold myself."

There were busy times at Barnacle Cottage for the next few days. Getting settled took most of the time of Mr. and Mrs. Bouncer, and then Bob's father had to go back to Fairview to work. He would come down, however, for week-ends.

Bob and his mother, with the two boy chums, soon began to enjoy life at the shore. A large, safe rowboat had been hired from the old sailor, and the boys were learning how to use it properly, under the instruction of Mr. Salina. Later on he promised to take them with him when he went fishing and clamming.

To get hard clams the old man would go in the shallow parts of Lighthouse Cove, and, with his bare feet, would tread in the mud until he felt a hard clam. Then he would work it on top of his foot, raise it out of the water and reach it in his hand, tossing it into his boat.

Soft clams he dug for on the exposed mud flats when the tide was low.

The boys themselves learned to catch crabs, dangling pieces of meat on the end of strings from the dock near the cottage. When a crab grasped the meat in his claws the boys would pull gently on the string, until the crab was near the surface of the water. Then they would slip a net under him and lift him into a basket, wiggling and clashing his claws.

The Fairview Boys made inquiries about the pirate treasure story told to them by the old man, and found that it was generally known. Few persons believed it, however, though, in times past, many had dug in different places for the supposed gold.

The boys had been at Lighthouse Cove for about a week now. They had boated, bathed and crabbed, and one night, after supper, Bob said:

"Fellows, it's about time we took in the lighthouse. I want to see how the lantern works."

"So do I!" exclaimed Frank. "I was asking Mr. Salina about it. He said an old shipmate of his kept the light, and he'd take us through any time we wanted to go."

"Let's go over now," suggested Sammy. "It will be more fun to see it lighted up."

Frank and Bob agreed with this, and as Mrs. Bouncer had no objections, the three of them started down the beach toward the lighthouse, which was built on a little point of land, jutting out into the Cove.

It was just getting dusk, and the rays of the light shone out brightly. Sammy Brown, who was walking on a little ahead of his chums, suddenly came to a stop, in a lonely place.

"What's the matter—crab get you?" asked Bob, with a chuckle.

"No. Hush!" whispered Sammy.

"What's up now?" asked Frank. "See some of those pirates?"

Sammy turned and came back to his chums.

"Easy!" he cautioned. "Fellows, I think I have a clue! Come over here, but don't make any noise."

He led them to a clump of bushes beside the path. Cautiously parting the leaves, to make an opening, Sammy looked through. Then he drew back his head.

"Yes, he's there yet!" he whispered. "Take a look."

"Who is it?" asked Bob.

"Someone digging for pirate gold!" whispered Sammy, hoarsely.