"One-Eye's treasure map has a code to it, me boys, an' unless we can figure it out, we'll never fin' it!" said Captain Jim to the three men around him. They had been studying the treasure map and charts of the area for several hour, and had not deduced the location of the hiding place.
"May I suggest, Captain, that you use the old Bristol sea cypher, it would seem fitting since One-Eye was from Bristol. By the way, what was his real name?" queried Artemus. Artemus Gordon was a barber that Laramie had stumbled upon while searching for the treasure map in Calcutta. He had managed to get Laramie to give him a share of the treasure, and Laramie had consented, for Artemus had helped him locate the map. Artemus had some near squeaks with his new found friends, but they worked out their differences (sometimes with knives and guns) and were now on relatively comfortable terms.
"Nobody really knows that, Arty." answered Laramie. "He's a bit of a mystery. In fact, until they found his body, nobody even really knew what he looked like. One account in a London newspaper had him at 7 feet tall and 6 fingers on each hand."
"Then how did they know that is was his body that they found." Arty asked further.
"Somthin' about a tattoo he had on his chest." answered the mate. "And plus thet map; he neverrr went anywherrre without it. Always kept it in a secrrret pocket on the inside of his shirrrt."
"But perhaps he orchestrated a fraud. He could have put a fake map in somebody else's pocket and the =n let the authorities find that body so that he could go free. Perhaps he is living rich and easy in England right now as a respectable citizen because everyone thinks he's dead." Arty suggested. After he was through proclaiming his new theory, Captain Jim looked up at his very sharply.
"Yer sayin' ya think this thing is a fake?" Captain Jim's voice was anything but pleasant.
To be continued...
"May I suggest, Captain, that you use the old Bristol sea cypher, it would seem fitting since One-Eye was from Bristol. By the way, what was his real name?" queried Artemus. Artemus Gordon was a barber that Laramie had stumbled upon while searching for the treasure map in Calcutta. He had managed to get Laramie to give him a share of the treasure, and Laramie had consented, for Artemus had helped him locate the map. Artemus had some near squeaks with his new found friends, but they worked out their differences (sometimes with knives and guns) and were now on relatively comfortable terms.
"Nobody really knows that, Arty." answered Laramie. "He's a bit of a mystery. In fact, until they found his body, nobody even really knew what he looked like. One account in a London newspaper had him at 7 feet tall and 6 fingers on each hand."
"Then how did they know that is was his body that they found." Arty asked further.
"Somthin' about a tattoo he had on his chest." answered the mate. "And plus thet map; he neverrr went anywherrre without it. Always kept it in a secrrret pocket on the inside of his shirrrt."
"But perhaps he orchestrated a fraud. He could have put a fake map in somebody else's pocket and the =n let the authorities find that body so that he could go free. Perhaps he is living rich and easy in England right now as a respectable citizen because everyone thinks he's dead." Arty suggested. After he was through proclaiming his new theory, Captain Jim looked up at his very sharply.
"Yer sayin' ya think this thing is a fake?" Captain Jim's voice was anything but pleasant.
To be continued...
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