'Si, si,'
he said, 'he will write to that partner of his, the rich Americano in
San Francisco, that it is all lost. Why not? There is enough to share
with many people.'"
"But this is perfectly imbecile!" cried Captain Mitchell.
The doctor remarked that Sotillo was imbecile, and that his imbecility
was ingenious enough to lead him completely astray. He had helped him
only but a little way.
"I mentioned," the doctor said, "in a sort of casual way, that treasure
is generally buried in the earth rather than set afloat upon the sea.
At this my Sotillo slapped his forehead. 'Por Dios, yes,' he said; 'they
must have buried it on the shores of this harbour somewhere before they
sailed out.'"
"Heavens and earth!" muttered Captain Mitchell, "I should not have
believed that anybody could be ass enough--" He paused, then went on
mournfully: "But what's the good of all this? It would have been a
clever enough lie if the lighter had been still afloat. It would have
kept that inconceivable idiot perhaps from sending out the steamer to
cruise in the gulf. That was the danger that worried me no end.
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