But these experienced treasure-hiders
knew exactly what to do with it. A spadeful at a time, the soil which
could not be replaced was carried to the sea, and thrown out into the
water, and when the whole place had been carefully smoothed over, the
pirates gathered sticks and stones, and little bushes, and great masses
of wild cranberry vines, and scattered them about over the place so that
it soon looked exactly like the rest of the beach about it.
Then the tall captain gave another low command, the pirates returned to
their boat, it was pushed off, and rapidly rowed back to the schooner.
Up came the anchor, up went the dark sails. The low, black schooner was
put about, and very soon she was disappearing over the darkening waters,
her black flag fluttering fiercely high above her.
"Now, let us run," whispered poor Mary, who, although she had not seen
everything, imagined a great deal; for as the pirates were getting into
their boat she had opened her eyes and had counted them, and there were
only nine beside the tall captain.
Abner thought that her advice was very good, and starting up out of the
brushwood they hastened home as fast as their legs would carry them.
[Illustration: "Two of the pirates went down into the hole."--p. 302.]
The next day Abner seemed to be a changed man. He had work to do, but he
neglected it.
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