# XXIV: The Treasure explained — Jibby Jones

> Chapter companion for Jibby Jones by Ellis Parker Butler.

## What happens

The boys collect admission fees from treasure hunters, including a group of Arkansas men claiming to be heirs of John A. Murrell. Jibby outwits the Tough Customer and the Arkansas men, digs up a box containing $1,000 in gold and a letter from Murrell, and keeps the money on the grounds that the original owner cannot be identified. The chapter ends with Jibby more concerned about preserving grains of green sand from his shoe than the treasure.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cleverness vs. Brawn

Jibby uses wit and planning to outsmart the Arkansas men and the Tough Customer, turning the treasure hunt into a profitable venture.

### Deception and Trust

The Arkansas men falsely claim to be Murrell's heirs, and Jibby deceives the treasure hunters by charging admission and warning them about bumblebees.

### Perseverance and Problem Solving

Jibby persists in his plan despite challenges, solves the problem of the Arkansas men by involving the sheriff, and successfully retrieves the treasure.

## Character check-ins

### Jibby Jones

Orchestrates the treasure hunt, collects admission fees, outwits the Arkansas men and the Tough Customer, discovers the treasure box, and decides to keep the gold. Shows greater interest in the green sand grains than the money.

### Wampus Smale

Helps collect dollars from treasure hunters and carries the money back to town.

### Tad Willing

Helps collect dollars from treasure hunters and carries the money back to town.

### Skippy Root

Helps collect dollars from treasure hunters and carries the money back to town.

### Bill Catlin

Assists in collecting money and communicates with the sheriff to scare off the Arkansas men.

### The Tough Customer

Attempts to dig for treasure but is thwarted by bumblebees and Jibby's quick actions.

## Key lines

> So that was what the sheriff told them, and at first there was a good deal of complaining, but, when they saw that the sheriff and Bill Catlin meant it, they formed in line at the corner, and Skippy and Tad and Wampus and me collected the dollars.

The sheriff's announcement caused initial grumbling, but once the crowd realized he and Bill Catlin were serious, they lined up and paid the dollar fee to the boys.

_Describes the beginning of the money collection process._

> I've got papers here to prove that I'm the great-grandson of old John A. Murrell, the land pirate, and that I'm his only heir.

The Arkansas man named Jim claimed to have documents showing he was the sole living descendant of the land pirate John A. Murrell.

_Jim asserts his claim to the treasure._

> Nobody in the world knows who the first owner was. John A. Murrell never did own it; he stole it. The man he stole it from was the real owner, and John A. Murrell never did have any right to have it.

Jibby argued that since Murrell stole the treasure, the original owner is unknown, so they are entitled to keep it.

_Jibby's rationale for keeping the gold._

> I do believe he was more interested in not losing those grains of green sand than in all the treasure John A. Murrell ever hid.

Jibby cared more about preserving the green sand grains in his shoe than about the entire treasure.

_Highlights Jibby's unique priorities._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se/chapters/xxiv-the-treasure
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se/chapters