"If you know anything about this part of England," the letter continued, "you will have heard that the Marsh and all this coast as far as Cliff End has for centuries been much used by smugglers, and the people of the Cinque Ports - there are several books about the Ports left for you to read - are the descendants of those who made the first wooden ships for the British Navy. The men of the Ports have always been wild and independent. Time and time again these towns have been attacked and plundered from the sea, and when our ships were not fighting for our King, they were generally engaged in a little piracy on their own account. So you will see, Jonathan, that Rye has a history thrilling enough to stir the blood of any proper boy, for her streets have echoed to the cries of sailors home from the seas, of pirates returning with rich booty and of bloody fights with the French, who many a time swept in with fire and sword. And not so very long ago Trader's Street echoed to the tramp of the King's Men as they searched for the lace and brandy, brought in from France in exchange for wool from our Romney sheep.

"The Gay Dolphin is almost as old as Rye itself. I am not sure how old it is, but there is no doubt that it was much used by smugglers, and I am now fairly confident that it contains some secret which I have never discovered. There have always been rumours that some fugitives from the Battle of Brookland found their way to Rye and that, as they were hotly pursued, they hid some booty in a place which has yet to be discovered. Three of these fugitives were caught and hanged, the story goes, but two escaped. Rye rumour says that all five sought shelter in the Dolphin, but this has never been proved, although I believe that the inn would be obvious sanctuary for them.

"I want you to understand that although I have always known of these rumours and old tales of hidden treasure, I only thought of them as stories until yesterday, when the clues attached to this letter were brought to me at a time of my life when they are of little use to me. I believe the parchment to be genuine and can say little more to you now than that. They were brought to me by the son of an old servant who had just died. This old man, who served me for many years here in the Dolphin, now claims that he is a direct descendant of one of the men who escaped capture after the Battle of Brookland and sends me the clue without any other message, beyond one of affection and remembrance for a kindness which I once did for him.