buried the treasure in the potato-patch; but of course it couldn’t be old Jordan, for he had never been heard of since he ran away with the Yankees, and everybody believed him to be dead.  Godfrey listened in great amazement to his son’s story, and, to satisfy himself of the truth of it, went up to the barn, with his rifle for company.  He had not been there many minutes before he received convincing proof that Dan had told the truth, for he saw the object with his own eyes—­a feeble old negro, dressed in a white plantation suit, and wearing a battered plug hat, who limped along in plain view of him, and finally disappeared, no one could tell how or when.  That was enough for Godfrey.  He started for home at the top of his speed, and scarcely dared to venture out of doors that night.  He had an appointment with Clarence Gordon at dark, but he would not have passed that barn in his present state of mind, if he had known that he could make twice eighty thousand dollars by it.

Bright and early the next morning, Clarence came down to see why he had not kept his promise, and talked to him in such a way that Godfrey finally agreed to meet him that night, the boy promising to protect him from anything in the shape of a ghost that might cross their path.  He kept his appointment this time, but he was sorry enough for it afterward, for the first object on which his eyes rested, when he and his companion reached the potato-field, was old Jordan, digging away as if he too were in search of the buried treasure.  Godfrey would have taken to his heels at once, but Clarence, who did not believe in “haunts,” walked up and seized the negro by the arm.  After much argument, Godfrey was induced to do the same, and then his fears all vanished, for it was a veritable human being that he took hold of and not a spirit, as he feared it was.  He declared, too, that the interloper was the missing Jordan, beyond a doubt, and that he had come there to steal the money he had buried in that same field years before.  The negro was commanded to point out the spot where the treasure was hidden, but nothing could be learned from the old fellow.  He would not speak at all, until Godfrey threatened to punch him in the ribs with his shovel, and then he denied all knowledge of the barrel.  Upon hearing this, Clarence and his companion seized him by the arms, dragged him across the field, over the fence and down the road to Godfrey’s potato-cellar, where he was tied to a stanchion with a plough-line and left with the assurance that he should never see daylight again until he told where the fortune was to be found.

Godfrey was stirring the next morning before it was fairly light, and the first sound that fell on his ears caused him to start and tremble with terror.  He listened until it was repeated, and then started post haste for General Gordon’s house.  When he reached it, he found the whole plantation in an uproar.  Don was missing and a search was being instituted.  Clarence came out about this