But the eccentric man could think of nothing adequate to bless
under the circumstances, and he subsided with a murmur.

"Excuse me for interrupting you," he said to his new friend.
"But I just couldn't help it."

"That's all right," Mr. Hardley remarked, with a smile that
showed two rows of very even, white teeth. "I don't blame you for
getting excited. Does that interest you?" he asked Tom. "Two
million dollars in gold, besides a quantity of silver --just how
much I don't know."

"It certainly sounds interesting," replied Tom, with a smile.
"But are you sure of your facts?"

"Absolutely," was the answer. "I was a passenger on the Pandora
when she was wrecked in a storm. I saw the gold put on board. It
was not taken off, and is on her now as she lies at the bottom of
the sea."

"And the location?" queried Tom.

"I know that, too!" said Mr. Hardley eagerly. "I was with the
captain just before we had to abandon ship, and I heard the exact
nautical location given him by an officer who made the
calculation. I have it written down to the second--latitude and
longitude. That will be a help in locating the wreck, won't it?"

"Why, yes," Tom had to agree, "it will be. but if you know it,