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"I didn't think it out at the time I didn't evolve my theory until after I had fled Naturally, I wasn't able to get back"

"But suppose soht

"Not eneration, and the story itself is alotten" Esteban turned triu, "Now then, do you think I'm so crazy?"

O'Reilly didn't have it in his heart to say exactly what he really thought The circuh, certainly, but it seemed to him that they were capable of several explanations If, indeed, there had ever been a doubloon and if Esteban had found it in the dead hand of his stepmother, that, in O'Reilly's opinion, by no means proved the existence of the mythical Varona hoard, nor did it solve the secret of its whereabouts What he more than half suspected was that so theory," he ad uncovered very soon Cueto had a good look and made himself ridiculous You'll have ample chance to do likehen the war is over"

"You must help me find it," said Esteban "We shall all share the fortune equally, you two, Rosa and I"

"WE? Why should WE share in it?" Norine asked

"I owe it to you Didn't O'Reilly rescue eon? Haven't you nursed me back to health? Don't I owe my life to you both?"

"Nonsense! I, for one, sha'n't take a dollar of it," the girl declared "All I want to do is help dig If you'll just promise to let me do that--"

"I pro"

"No! No!"

"Oh, but you MUST I insist Nursing is a poorly paid profession Wouldn't you like to be rich?"

"Profession! Poorly paid?" Norine sputtered, angrily "As if I'd take pay!"

"As if I would accept a great service and forget it, like soar!" Esteban replied, stiffly

O'Reilly laughed out "Don't let's quarrel over the spoil until we get it," said he "That's the ith all treasure-hunters They invariably fall out and go to fighting To avoid bloodshed, I'll agree to sell my interest cheap, for cash Come! What will you bid? Start it low Do I hear a dollar bid? A dollar! A dollar! A dollar! My share of the fa for a dollar!"

"There! He doesn't believe a word of it," Esteban said

Norine gave an i "Some people wouldn't believe they were alive unless they saw their breath on a looking-glass Goodness! How I hate a sneering skeptic, a wet blanket"