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different times； been digged up in various parts of the island。
The lucky persons who had discovered them had always dreamed of
them three times beforehand； and； what was worthy of remark； those
treasures had never been found but by some descendant of the good
old Dutch families； which clearly proved that they had been buried
by Dutchmen in the olden time。
〃Fiddlestick with your Dutchmen！〃 cried the half…pay officer。 〃The
Dutch had nothing to do with them。 They were all buried by Kidd
the pirate； and his crew。〃
Here a keynote was touched that roused the whole company。 The name
of Captain Kidd was like a talisman in those times； and was
associated with a thousand marvelous stories。
The half…pay officer took the lead； and in his narrations fathered
upon Kidd all the plunderings and exploits of Morgan；＇1＇
Blackbeard；＇2＇ and the whole list of bloody buccaneers。
＇1＇ Sir Henry Morgan （1637…90）； a noted Welsh buccaneer。 He was
captured and sent to England for trial； but Charles II。； instead of
punishing him； knighted him； and subsequently appointed him
governor of Jamaica。
＇2＇ Edward Teach； one of the most cruel of the pirates； took
command of a pirate ship in 1717； and thereafter committed all
sorts of atrocities until he was slain by Lieutenant Maynard in
1718。 His nickname of 〃Blackbeard〃 was given him because of his
black beard。
The officer was a man of great weight among the peaceable members
of the club； by reason of his warlike character and gunpowder
tales。 All his golden stories of Kidd； however； and of the booty
he had buried； were obstinately rivaled by the tales of Peechy
Prauw； who； rather than suffer his Dutch progenitors to be eclipsed
by a foreign freebooter； enriched every field and shore in the
neighborhood with the hidden wealth of Peter Stuyvesant and his
contemporaries。
Not a word of this conversation was lost upon Wolfert Webber。 He
returned pensively home； full of magnificent ideas。 The soil of
his native island seemed to be turned into gold dust； and every
field to teem with treasure。 His head almost reeled at the thought
how often he must have heedlessly rambled over places where
countless sums lay； scarcely covered by the turf beneath his feet。
His mind was in an uproar with this whirl of new ideas。 As he came
in sight of the venerable mansion of his forefathers； and the
little realm where the Webbers had so long and so contentedly
flourished； his gorge rose at the narrowness of his destiny。
〃Unlucky Wolfert！〃 exclaimed he； 〃others can go to bed and dream
themselves into whole mines of wealth； they have but to seize a
spade in the morning； and turn up doubloons＇1＇ like potatoes； but
thou must dream of hardships； and rise to poverty； must dig thy
field from year's end to year's end； and yet raise nothing but
cabbages！〃
＇1＇ Spanish gold coins； equivalent to 15。60。
Wolfert Webber went to bed with a heavy heart； and it was long
before the golden visions that disturbed his brain permitted him to
sink into repose。 The same visions； however； extended into his
sleeping thoughts； and assumed a more definite form。 He dreamed
that he had discovered an immense treasure in the center of his
garden。 At every stroke of the spade he laid bare a golden ingot；
diamond crosses sparkled out of the dust； bags of money turned up
their bellies； corpulent with pieces…of…eight＇1＇ or venerable
doubloons； and chests wedged close with moidores；＇2＇ ducats；＇3＇ and
pistareens；＇4＇ yawned before his ravished eyes； and vomited forth
their glittering contents。
＇1＇ Spanish coins； worth about 1 each。
＇2＇ Portuguese gold coins； valued at 6。50。
＇3＇ Coins of gold and silver； valued at 2 and 1 respectively。
＇4＇ Spanish silver coins； worth about 。20。
Wolfert awoke a poorer man than ever。 He had no heart to go about
his daily concerns； which appeared so paltry and profitless； but
sat all day long in the chimney corner； picturing to himself ingots
and heaps of gold in the fire。 The next night his dream was
repeated。 He was again in his garden digging； and laying open
stores of hidden wealth。 There was something very singular in this
repetition。 He passed another day of reverie； and though it was
cleaning day； and the house； as usual in Dutch households；
completely topsy…turvy； yet he sat unmoved amidst the general
uproar。
The third night he went to bed with a palpitating heart。 He put on
his red nightcap wrong side outward； for good luck。 It was deep
midnight before his anxious mind could settle itself into sleep。
Again the golden dream was repeated； and again he saw his garden
teeming with ingots and money bags。
Wolfert rose the next morning in complete bewilderment。 A dream；
three times repeated； was never known to lie； and if so； his
fortune was made。
In his agitation he put on his waistcoat with the hind part before；
and this was a corroboration of good luck。＇1＇ He no longer doubted
that a huge store of money lay buried somewhere in his cabbage
field； coyly waiting to be sought for； and he repined at having so
long been scratching about the surface of the soil instead of
digging to the center。
＇1＇ It is an old superstition that to put on one's clothes wrong
side out forebodes good luck。
He took his seat at the breakfast table； full of these
speculations； asked his daughter to put a lump of gold into his
tea； and on handing his wife a plate of slapjacks； begged her to
help herself to a doubloon。
His grand care now was how to secure this immense treasure without
its being known。 Instead of his working regularly in his grounds
in the daytime； he now stole from his bed at night； and with spade
and pickax went to work to rip up and dig about his paternal acres；
from one end to the other。 In a little time the whole garden；
which had presented such a goodly and regular appearance； with its
phalanx of cabbages； like a vegetable army in battle array； was
reduced to a scene of devastation； while the relentless Wolfert；
with nightcap on head and lantern and spade in hand； stalked
through the slaughtered ranks； the destroying angel of his own
vegetable world。
Every morning bore testimony to the ravages of the preceding night
in cabbages of all ages and conditions； from the tender sprout to
the full…grown head； piteously rooted from their quiet beds like
worthless weeds； and left to wither in the sunshine。 In vain
Wolfert's wife remonstrated； in vain his darling daughter wept over
the destruction of some favorite marigold。 〃Thou shalt have gold
of another…guess＇1＇ sort；〃 he would cry； chucking her under the
chin； 〃thou shalt have a string of crooked ducats for thy wedding
necklace； my child。〃 His family began really to fear that the poor
man's wits were diseased。 He muttered in his sleep at night about
mines of wealth； about pearls and diamonds； and bars of gold。 In
the daytime he