"I can see better now than I could," said John who was in the lead. "My
eyes are becoming more used to the dim light."

"So are mine," said Fred. "The floor looks perfectly flat to me too, and
I think I see a box or something up ahead there."

"I guess you do," John agreed. "I see something myself."

They proceeded cautiously on their way until they came to the box in
question.

"It's a chest," exclaimed John, bending over. "It's iron, too," and he
gave it a kick. The clang of the metal echoed and reechoed through the
cave producing a weird sound and sending the shivers coursing up and
down the spines of the boys.

"It sounds hollow," said Grant in a low voice.

"I guess it is," John agreed.

"Lift it and see," directed George. "Aren't there any handles on it?"

John felt around the sides of the chest and finally discovered that
there was a handle on one end. He pulled and lifted with all his might,
but not one inch could he budge it.

"Whew, there must be something in it," he panted. "It's certainly heavy
enough."

"It's probably full of gold," exclaimed George excitedly. "Gold is
awfully heavy."

"Calm yourself, Pop," said Grant, but he too, was excited. In fact, the
strange cave and the chest suggested all sorts of things to the four
youths. What if they should find that the chest was full of money?
Stranger things than that have happened.

"It certainly sounded hollow in spite of all you say," remarked Fred.
"See if all four of us can't get hold and move it." He kicked it once
more and again the weird sound rang through the cave.

"Don't do that, Fred," begged George. "It gives me the shivers."

"Get hold here then," exclaimed Fred.

The combined efforts of the four boys did not even slightly move the
great chest. It was an awkward thing to handle, however, as well as very
heavy.

"Perhaps it is empty after all," remarked Grant, as they all paused to
regain their breath. "A chest as big as that would weigh a lot all
alone."

"Maybe," admitted Fred. "At any rate I say we get it out on the ledge in
front there where we can have a good look at it."

"That's the idea," exclaimed George. "We can get it there if we all
help. Everybody get to work here now!"

Pushing and hauling, grunting and groaning the young castaways bent to
their task. Little by little the great iron chest was moved closer and
closer to the entrance of the cave. The sweat poured from the boys in
streams and their arms and thei