The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave Part 28

"All right," replied Fred, his voice sounding as if it came from the center of the earth. "I'm spilling a lot of dirt down into the cave though."

"Never mind that, as long as you don't lose any of the money."

"Do you really think there's any gold or anything in that box?" said Grant.

"I'm sure I don't know," John replied. "If Pop were here he'd be sure it was empty."

"I know it. Isn't he a regular old gloom lately?"

"He's not usually that way. At least he never used to be."

"Something has come over him since we started work on that code. He thinks it's very silly and that we are foolish to bother with it."

"We'll surprise him one of these days," said John confidently.

"I certainly hope so," exclaimed Grant.

While Fred dug they chatted and talked of the possibilities of their finding some long forgotten pirate's treasure and making themselves rich and famous. Almost anyone would have been as thrilled as these boys were under the same circ.u.mstances. Petersen's tale on board the _Josephine_ and the strange code he had had; the finding of a similar one in the cave; the chest and the powder-horn and pistol; the queer black rock and Sam's story in connection with it; all these events had combined to spur the four young adventurers on in their quest. Now they had discovered another odd looking box and with the hope that springs eternal in the human breast they were anxiously and eagerly awaiting a chance to examine its contents.

"All right. Pull me up," came Fred's summons at last.

Slowly and carefully John and Grant lifted their companion out of the hole. Soon he emerged, the knife in one hand, the box in the other and with so much dirt and grime that its owner was scarcely recognizable.

"You look like Sam," remarked John, hardly able to restrain his mirth at Fred's appearance.

"Open the box and don't get so personal," advised Fred, wiping the dirt from his eyes.

Grant was already busily engaged in examining the prize his friend had dug from its place in the earth. "This one is light," he remarked. "I don't suppose there is anything in it at all."

"Can you open it?" demanded John.

"Easily. There's only a catch on it," and Grant straightway lifted the cover.

"An envelope," exclaimed Fred disappointedly. "All that work for nothing."

Grant, however, was opening the envelope and as he did so two gold pieces rolled out upon the ground. "Empty is it?" he cried. "How about those?"

"Say," exclaimed John excitedly. "Just look at them. Are there any more?"

"Just this," said Grant quietly and he spread a sheet of paper before the gaze of his two companions. "Do you recognize it?"

"I should know those figures in China now," said Fred disgustedly. "It's that same old code again."

"I know it," said Grant, "but do you see what's written across the top?"

"Sure enough," exclaimed Fred. "What does it say, anyway?"

"'This tells where the rest of it is,'" Grant read aloud.

CHAPTER XVIII

IN THE WATER

John, Fred and Grant sat and looked at one another and at the two gold pieces which lay glittering in John's hand. Then they looked at the third copy of the code which had turned up so strangely.

"I wish Pop were here," remarked Grant grimly.

"Why so?" inquired Fred.

"I'd like him to see those gold pieces and I'd like him to see what is written across the top of this parchment. I think after that he wouldn't be so sure there was no treasure on this island. We'll convince him now quick enough."

"Let me see one of those coins," said Fred. "What are they, anyhow?"

"Spanish, I should say," replied John. "They're old ones."

"I should think so," exclaimed Fred. "They're worn, too, and the date is gone from this one."

"This says seventeen something," remarked John, examining the piece of gold which he held in his hand. "I can't make out the rest of it."

"They must be a couple of hundred years old, all right," said Grant.

"Do you suppose they've been here all that time?"

"I can't tell you, Grant," said John. "I do wish we could decipher that code though. This makes it look better than ever."

"It surely does," Grant agreed heartily. "I've thought of about everything under the sun, but nothing seems to work for a cent. I'd like to catch the fellow who made up that set of figures. He must have been a fiend."

"Not necessarily," laughed Fred. "He was only trying to protect his property."

"Well, I guess he did that all right," exclaimed Grant. "He certainly did as far as I am concerned."

"The joke of it is," said John, "that probably the whole thing is as simple as rolling off a log. All we need is the key."

"Yes," cried Grant, "but if we can't find the key what good does it do us?"

"None, I'll admit," replied John, "but we must find it."

"Oh, it's easy enough to say that," exclaimed Grant bitterly. "I don't notice anybody doing it, though."

"You're not going to give it up are you, Grant?" asked Fred in surprise.

"Why this is the best encouragement we've had yet."

"Give it up! Of course I'm not going to give it up. I don't see much encouragement here though. I think it's only more maddening. What we've found to-day only goes to prove that this code does tell where treasure is buried, but it doesn't tell us how to read the code, does it? It only tantalizes us, but you can make up your mind that I'm not going to give up, even for a second."