John Gaythers Garden and the Stories Told Therein | Page 7

I knew, and I got down to the
bottom all right, having a hard time to keep from being scratched to
pieces by the barnacles on the sterns of the big ships.
"I clumped about for a while on the sandy bottom so as to get familiar
with the air-tubes, signal-cords, and all that, and then I signalled to be
hauled up a bit; and, after a good deal of trouble, I got on board the
vessel which I was sure was a Spanish galleon. As I stood on her upper
deck, looking around, I felt as if I was in a world of wonders. There
was water everywhere, of course--in and around and about everything.
But I could see so plainly that I forgot that I was not moving about in
the open air.
"I can't tell you, miss, everything I saw on that great ship, for it would
take too long; but as soon as I could, I set to work to see if I could find
the treasure that I hoped was on board of her. Here and there about the
decks I saw swords and pistols and old cannon, but not a sign of any of
the brave fellows that had fought the ship, for the fish had eaten them
up long ago, bones and all.
"While hunting about, and being careful to keep my air-tube from

fouling, I looked into a cabin with the door open; and you will believe
me, miss, when I tell you that a cold chill ran down my back when I
saw something moving inside, just as if it was a man getting up to see
what I wanted. It turned out to be a big fish, about half my size, and he
did not ask any questions, but just swam through the open door, almost
brushing me, and went his way."
"I wonder you weren't frightened to death!" said the Daughter of the
House.
"It would be hard to kill me with fright," said John Gayther, "and I'll
prove that to you, miss. As I moved on, still looking for the treasure, I
came to the door of another cabin, and this was shut and bolted on the
outside. I had a hatchet with me, and with this I knocked back the bolts
and forced open the door; and there I saw something to make anybody
jump. Sitting on a locker, right in front of the door, was the skeleton of
a man. The room had been shut up so tight that no fish big enough to
eat bones could get in; but the little things that live in the water and can
get through any crack had eaten all of that man except his bones, his
gold buttons, that were lying about on the floor, the golden embroidery
of his uniform, that was still hanging about on his skeleton, and the iron
fetters on his hands and feet. He was most likely a prisoner of rank who
was being taken back to Spain, and he had been shut up there through
all the fight.
"The first thought that came into my mind when I looked at him was
that he might be Columbus, and that the Spaniards had made up the
story about their really getting him back to Spain at the time when he
was to be brought home in irons. But thinking more about it, I knew
that this could not be true, and so I shut the door so as to keep the poor
fellow from any intrusions so long as he might happen to stay there.
"Then I went to work in real earnest to find the treasure, and I tell you,
miss, I did find it."
"What!" exclaimed the Daughter of the House. "You really found the
treasure on that Spanish galleon?"

"Indeed I did," replied John Gayther. "It was in boxes stowed away in a
big room in the stern. I smashed the door, and there were the boxes. I
went to work at one of them with my hatchet; and I had just forced up
one corner of the lid, and had seen that it was filled with big gold
pieces, when I felt a pull on my signal-rope, and knew that they wanted
me to come up. So I put my fingers into the crack and got out a few of
the coins. I could not take a whole box; it would have been too heavy.
And then I went out of that room, and signalled that I was ready to go
up. It was time, I can tell you, miss, for I was getting mighty nervous
and excited, and I needed rest and something to eat.
"When I was safe on the deck of the brig, I found everybody gathered
there,