“Better the first than the last,” interrupted Martin.  “Hide the treasure, say I, and destroy the Spaniards, if Mother Martha here can think of a plan.”

“We might sink the ship,” suggested Foy.

“And leave her mast for a beacon,” added Martin sarcastically.

“Or put the stuff into the boat and sink that.”

“And never find it again in this great sea,” objected Martin.

All this while Martha steered the boat as calmly as though it were daylight.  They had left the open water, and were passing slowly in and out among islets, yet she never seemed to be doubtful or to hesitate.  At length they felt the Swallow behind them take the mud gently, whereon Martha led the way aboard of her and threw out the anchor, saying that here was her berth for the night.

“Now,” she said, “bring up this gold and lay it in the boat, for if you would save it there is much to do before dawn.”

So Foy and Martin went down while Martha, hanging over the hatchway, held the lighted lamp above them, since they dared not take it near the powder.  Moving the bags of salt, soon they came to the five barrels of treasure marked B, and, strong though they were, it was no easy task for the pair of them by the help of a pulley to sling them over the ship’s side into the boat.  At last it was done, and the place of the barrels having been filled with salt bags, they took two iron spades which were provided for such a task as this, and started, Martha steering as before.  For an hour or more they rowed in and out among endless islands, at the dim shores of which Martha stared as they passed, till at length she motioned to them to ship their oars, and they touched ground.

Leaping from the boat she made it fast and vanished among the reeds to reconnoitre.  Presently she returned again, saying that this was the place.  Then began the heavy labour of rolling the casks of treasure for thirty yards or more along otter paths that pierced the dense growth of reeds.

Now, having first carefully cut out reed sods in a place chosen by Martha, Foy and Martin set to their task of digging a great hole by the light of the stars.  Hard indeed they toiled at it, yet had it not been for the softness of the marshy soil, they could not have got done while the night lasted, for the grave that would contain those barrels must be both wide and deep.  After three feet of earth had been removed, they came to the level of the lake, and for the rest of the time worked in water, throwing up shovelfuls of mud.  Still at last it was done, and the five barrels standing side by side in the water were covered up with soil and roughly planted over with the reed turf.

“Let us be going,” said Martha.  “There is no time to lose.”  So they straightened their backs and wiped the sweat from their brows.

“There is earth lying about, which may tell its story,” said Martin.

“Yes,” she replied, “if any see it within the next ten days, after which in this damp place the mosses will have hidden it.”