“Never mind that, sister mine,” said Cuthbert.  “Belike it is to that very fact that it owes its long safety.  Even Robin must have known that to bring it forth again must be a matter of time and patience.  He could not visit it in a moment of haste or fright, and filch a piece away as he would.  Doubtless the place was chosen by the old Long Robin of past days for the very difficulty there must be in bringing forth the prize.  I have often thought that no buried treasure could so long have escaped prying hands and covetous spirits.  Bit by bit some would have gone.  It is the water that has been the best protection.”

Petronella saw the force of that argument; but as she leaned over the wall, trying to peer into the dark depths whilst Cuthbert talked of his scheme for draining it dry, she heaved a little sigh, and said: 

“And what if, after all that long labour, there be no treasure there in spite of all we believe?”

He looked a little taken aback, but was struck by the practical nature of the suggestion.  He pondered awhile, and then he spoke.

“That is a thought worthy of consideration,” he said.  “It were a foolish thing to waste the whole summer only to be deceived in the end.

“Peter,” he added suddenly, as if struck by a new idea, “I am no fearer of water.  I can dive and swim, and I have long wind, and can hold my breath a great while.  Thinkest thou that if I were to leap into the well and dive to the bottom, thou couldst give me the rope when I reappeared, and with the aid of the ass pull me forth again?  I can dive through the water, I trow, albeit the well is none too wide.  But I could not climb the steep stone sides; thou and the ass must help me there.”

Petronella was a little timid of the experiment lest harm should befall her brother, and persuaded him at last to tie the rope about him ere he dived, so that in the event of his striking his head, or in any other way hurting himself, she would have power to pull him up and out, even if he should have lost consciousness.  After making her promise not to use this power unless she were fully persuaded he was in some difficulty and unable to help himself, Cuthbert consented to this amendment; and when all preparations were complete he balanced himself for a moment on the edge of the well, and then launched himself downwards in a line as straight as an arrow.

Eagerly and breathlessly Petronella watched for his reappearance, holding her own breath the while, as though in some way that would help the diver.  He was long gone, as it seemed to her.  She had been forced to take one deep respiration, and was almost tempted to pull at the rope in her hand, when the water suddenly became again disturbed and full of bubbles, and a head appeared above it again.

“Cuthbert!” she exclaimed, in a tone of glad relief, “O Cuthbert, what hast thou found?”

He was clinging to the rope with one hand; the other was beneath the water out of sight.  He raised his eyes, and said between his gasping breaths: