Chapter 3: A Curious Discovery

William wiped the soil from his hands, paid the minister and walked back towards home. He heard men shoveling dirt back into the new grave of his brother Joseph. He was at the edge of town, where criminals were buried. The support of family and friends was absent from this funeral. The only company he had was his old friend and first-mate, Jim Spriggs. Spriggs accompanied him back home.

At the house, the two men sat down for a drink. The room was brightly lit now, and not so reminiscent of the dark night Joseph had returned. “Tell me again what he said…” inquired Spriggs, trying to make some conversation.

“He said it was true, he had gone on the account with Pirates,” replied William. “But he claimed that he had no choice, and seemed guilty.” William had said this much before, but he had not shared his brother’s last words with anyone. Here, with his only old friend, William thought he would dare to share them, and more.

“He said something else, Jim. He said that I should take his share.”

“You mean his share of the… spoils?”

“They divide it up, Jim, you’ve heard the stories. Hide it close by before they come into port; dig it up once things settle down a bit.”

Spriggs was growing wide eyed, but spoke low and cautiously. “Will, did he tell you where it was?”

“No, but he said something strange just before he died. Said something about his belt. I took it off of him just before the constable’s men arrived. Been wearing it ever since.”

Spriggs looked at the wide belt around his Captain’s waist. He took a draught of his beer, and then drew a knife from the table next to him. “Let’s take a look, Will.”

William hesitated, looked out the open window nervously, and put the belt on the table. Carefully, Spriggs examined the belt. It was made of two pieces of leather, carefully sewn flat against one-another. With a nod from William, he began to slit the leather along its seam. In a moment they both saw something yellow slip from inside the folds and out onto the table. “Damn that brother of yours,” said Spriggs, with laughter in his curse. “He really did it; he really was one of them.” He shook his head, though smiling, and handed the folded paper to William.

William held it gingerly, and then carefully opened the folds. It was yellow and worn, with faded brown ink that had been smeared in places, but it was clear that this was a map, a treasure map.

“Spriggs, my old friend, I think we are in for a bit of adventure…”