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it drop。 Jupiter； with his accustomed caution； before seizing the
insect； which had flown toward him； looked about him for a leaf； or
something of that nature； by which to take hold of it。 It was at
this moment that his eyes； and mine also； fell upon the scrap of
parchment； which I then supposed to be paper。 It was lying half
buried in the sand； a corner sticking up。 Near the spot where we
found it； I observed the remnants of the hull of what appeared to
have been a ship's longboat。 The wreck seemed to have been there
for a very great while； for the resemblance to boat timbers could
scarcely be traced。
〃Well； Jupiter picked up the parchment； wrapped the beetle in it；
and gave it to me。 Soon afterwards we turned to go home； and on
the way met Lieutenant G。 I showed him the insect； and he
begged me to let him take it to the fort。 Upon my consenting； he
thrust it forthwith into his waistcoat pocket； without the
parchment in which it had been wrapped； and which I had continued
to hold in my hand during his inspection。 Perhaps he dreaded my
changing my mind； and thought it best to make sure of the prize at
onceyou know how enthusiastic he is on all subjects connected
with Natural History。 At the same time； without being conscious of
it； I must have deposited the parchment in my own pocket。
〃You remember that when I went to the table； for the purpose of
making a sketch of the beetle； I found no paper where it was
usually kept。 I looked in the drawer； and found none there。 I
searched my pockets； hoping to find an old letter； when my hand
fell upon the parchment。 I thus detail the precise mode in which
it came into my possession； for the circumstances impressed me with
peculiar force。
〃No doubt you will think me fancifulbut I had already established
a kind of CONNECTION。 I had put together two links of a great
chain。 There was a boat lying upon a seacoast； and not far from
the boat was a parchmentNOT A PAPERwith a skull depicted upon
it。 You will； of course； ask 'where is the connection？' I reply
that the skull； or death's head； is the well…known emblem of the
pirate。 The flag of the death's head is hoisted in all
engagements。
〃I have said that the scrap was parchment； and not paper。
Parchment is durablealmost imperishable。 Matters of little
moment are rarely consigned to parchment； since； for the mere
ordinary purposes of drawing or writing； it is not nearly so well
adapted as paper。 This reflection suggested some meaningsome
relevancyin the death's head。 I did not fail to observe； also；
the FORM of the parchment。 Although one of its corners had been；
by some accident； destroyed； it could be seen that the original
form was oblong。 It was just such a slip； indeed； as might have
been chosen for a memorandumfor a record of something to be long
remembered； and carefully preserved。〃
〃But；〃 I interposed； 〃you say that the skull was NOT upon the
parchment when you made the drawing of the beetle。 How then do you
trace any connection between the boat and the skullsince this
latter； according to your own admission； must have been designed
（God only knows how or by whom） at some period subsequent to your
sketching the scarabaeus？〃
〃Ah； hereupon turns the whole mystery； although the secret； at this
point； I had comparatively little difficulty in solving。 My steps
were sure； and could afford but a single result。 I reasoned； for
example； thus： When I drew the scarabaeus； there was no skull
apparent upon the parchment。 When I had completed the drawing I
gave it to you； and observed you narrowly until you returned it。
YOU； therefore； did not design the skull； and no one else was
present to do it。 Then it was not done by human agency。 And
nevertheless it was done。
〃At this stage of my reflections I endeavored to remember； and DID
remember； with entire distinctness； every incident which occurred
about the period in question。 The weather was chilly （oh； rare and
happy accident！）； and a fire was blazing upon the hearth。 I was
heated with exercise and sat near the table。 You； however； had
drawn a chair close to the chimney。 Just as I placed the parchment
in your hand； and as you were in the act of inspecting it； Wolf；
the Newfoundland； entered； and leaped upon your shoulders。 With
your left hand you caressed him and kept him off； while your right；
holding the parchment； was permitted to fall listlessly between
your knees； and in close proximity to the fire。 At one moment I
thought the blaze had caught it； and was about to caution you； but；
before I could speak； you had withdrawn it； and were engaged in its
examination。 When I considered all these particulars； I doubted
not for a moment that HEAT had been the agent in bringing to light；
upon the parchment； the skull which I saw designed upon it。 You
are well aware that chemical preparations exist； and have existed
time out of mind； by means of which it is possible to write upon
either paper or vellum； so that the characters shall become visible
only when subjected to the action of fire。 Zaffre； digested in
aqua regia； and diluted with four times its weight of water； is
sometimes employed； a green tint results。 The regulus of cobalt；
dissolved in spirit of niter； gives a red。 These colors disappear
at longer or shorter intervals after the material written upon
cools； but again become apparent upon the reapplication of heat。
〃I now scrutinized the death's head with care。 Its outer edges
the edges of the drawing nearest the edge of the vellumwere far
more DISTINCT than the others。 It was clear that the action of the
caloric had been imperfect or unequal。 I immediately kindled a
fire； and subjected every portion of the parchment to a glowing
heat。 At first； the only effect was the strengthening of the faint
lines in the skull； but； upon persevering in the experiment； there
became visible； at the corner of the slip； diagonally opposite to
the spot in which the death's head was delineated； the figure of
what I at first supposed to be a goat。 A closer scrutiny； however；
satisfied me that it was intended for a kid。〃
〃Ha！ ha！〃 said I； 〃to be sure I have no right to laugh at youa
million and a half of money is too serious a matter for mirthbut
you are not about to establish a third link in your chainyou will
not find any especial connection between your pirates and a goat
pirates； you know； have nothing to do with goats； they appertain to
the farming interest。〃
〃But I have just said that the figure was NOT that of a goat。〃
〃Well； a kid thenpretty much the same thing。〃
〃Pretty much； but not altogether；〃 said Legrand。 〃You may have
heard of one CAPTAIN Kidd。 I at once looked upon the figure of the
animal as a kind of punning or hieroglyphical signature。 I say
signature； because its position upon the vellum suggested this
idea。 The death's head at the corner diagonally opposite； had； in
the same ma