BLACK BARTLEMY'S TREASURE

BY

JEFFREY FARNOL


TO MY NEPHEWS

JAMES JEFFREY FARNOL

AND

RONALD EWART OAKESHOTT




BLACK BARTLEMY'S TREASURE


PROLOGUE

The Frenchman beside me had been dead since dawn. His scarred
and shackled body swayed limply back and forth with every sweep
of the great oar as we, his less fortunate bench-fellows, tugged
and strained to keep time to the stroke.

Two men had I seen die beside me, yet Death ever passed me by,
nay, it seemed rather that despite the pain of stripes, despite