Folks about here," he said, turning suddenly to Hilda and looking keenly at her, "think Father was ravin' crazy, or mighty nigh it.

But he warn't nothin' o' the sort.

His mind was as keen as a razor, an' as straight-edged, 'xcept jest on _one_ subject.

On _that_ he was, so to say, a little--wal--a little _tetched_." "And that was-- ?" queried Hilda.
"Why, ye see, Huldy, Father had been a sea-farin' man all his days, an' he'd seen all manner o' countries an' all manner o' folks; and 'tain't to be wondered at ef he got a leetle bit confoosed sometimes between the things he'd seen and the things he owned.

Long'n short of it was, Father thought he hed a kind o' treasure hid away somewhar, like them pirate fellers used to hev.