Silversword by Charles Knief

compare the Hawaiian royal colors of red and yellow with those of the Spanish monarchs, which were identical.”
    â€œAll of which means nothing, I’m sure.”
    Miss Wong smiled. “Aside from your admitted ignorance of the subject, there have been long-standing rumors of a Spanish treasure ship that foundered off of Lanai in a hurricane, but no one has ever found the wreck site, or any trace of her cannon.”
    I noted that when Miss Wong got into her subject matter her shyness disappeared.
    â€œI spoke earlier of treasure ships. It is historical fact that the Spanish made annual commercial voyages between Acapulco, Mexico and the Philippines from 1556 to 1778. They ferried treasure looted from Asian cities to Mexico, where it was transshipped overland, loaded into other ships, and sent across the Atlantic to Spain.
    â€œIt is historical fact that several of the treasure ships did not reach Mexico, victims of the great Pacific hurricanes. I spent time in Madrid earlier this year searching for the name of a certain ship, La Reina de Plata . It did not take me long. La Reina de Plata was one of the treasure ships that vanished on a return voyage from Asia, loaded with gold, silver and jewels. It left Manila in 1629 and never reached Mexico.”

    Her eyes burned with a kind of cold fire. Her forearms were covered with chicken skin. “Do you know why I looked for a certain ship? Why that name?”
    I shook my head.
    â€œEarlier this year I discovered the tomb of an ali’i in the most unexpected location. It was a combination of luck and circumstance that I found this tomb. It is difficult to get to, and has been hidden for hundreds of years. I have taken every precaution to ensure that nobody knows what I am doing and why.”
    She cleared her throat, sipped some coffee, and looked directly at me. Gone was the shy student. Miss Wong could not hide the pride and the awe in her voice.
    â€œIt is the tomb of a man I believe to be the greatest king of the Hawaiians, long believed to be lost, so well hidden that nobody would ever find it. With the tomb was treasure. Spanish treasure. On several of the artifacts was written the name of that vessel. All the gold and silver that could be crowded into the holds of a Spanish galleon is now in that Hawaiian tomb, resting with the remains that I believe are those of King Kamehameha.
    â€œThe Lonely One was buried with Spanish Treasure.”

11
    T he Lonely One?”
    I looked at Kimo, who shook his head. He was out of his depth here and admitted it. So was I. Spanish treasure? King Kamehameha the Great, first king of Hawaii? What could any of it have to do with me?
    â€œWould you like some more coffee, Tutu Mae?” I asked.
    â€œWould you happen to have a little rum? Could you add a small drop?”
    â€œCertainly.”
    â€œCoffee isn’t good for the body. But rum makes everything work,” she said.
    Kimo smiled and got to his feet. “I’ll do it,” he said. “I know how much a ‘drop’ is these days. I’m afraid that you wouldn’t put enough in.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œBig drops,” said Kimo, with a little grin.
    I thought about it for a two-count. Felix wasn’t around. “Give me some, too.”
    â€œBig drops?”
    â€œI wouldn’t want Tutu Mae to feel lonely. Anything for you, Miss Wong?”
    â€œNo, but thank you.”

    â€œYou were saying?”
    â€œDo you know about the bones?”
    I noticed that Miss Wong lectured through questions. The technique usually irritated me. It’s what people usually do when they know something in a narrow area and use it to demonstrate their superior knowledge. In that one area. In this case I felt that she was trying to gauge my level of understanding of the subject. It would save time, for example, if I knew something about the bones of the ancient Hawaiians.
    â€œI know that the Hawaiians honor the bones of the