that no person ever thought of searching within the tide line."

"But, after all," said the captain, "the wealth does not seem so
enormous. Why, I would hesitate to offer a ten-pound note for the
whole lot."

"No, it is not indeed enormous, in a worldly sense, I admit. But
you must consider the importance of the discovery from what I may
call an archaeological point of view. You see the relics have a
historical value, Mr. Gordon."

The schoolmaster then turned to me and said:

"I think, Halcro, it's a pity that you lads didn't keep these
things all together, and bring them here as ye found them. What for
did ye divide them, as though they were so many blackberries? Ye
couldn't do anything with them--ye can't sell the things."

"It was Tom Kinlay said he thought we should share them, sir. I
didn't think we were doing wrong."

"Tom Kinlay kens nothing about such matters, Halcro. Just you get
the three other lads to bring each his share to me. I will look
after it and see that ye dinna lose anything. You see, although ye
found the treasure, you lads, it doesn't rightly belong to you. No
doubt ye'll be rewarded in some way for your find; but I must tell
you that the law will not let you keep it to yoursels. A person
finding treasure of this sort can have only a third part of its
value. Is that not so, Mr. Gordon?"