aps about, and we
don't want to be left dead in this hole."

So saying, Frobisher stepped slowly and cautiously through the door-way,
holding his torch high above his head, and at once found himself in a
small, circular chamber, which was almost completely filled with
ironbound cases and chests of every description.

"Great Caesar's ghost!" almost shouted Frobisher to Drake, who was
standing just inside the door, with mouth wide open and torch almost
dropping out of his hand; "we have dropped right into somebody's
treasure-house, and no mistake. If those chests do not contain
valuables, my name is not Murray Frobisher. Bring your stick, and let
us see whether we can wrench off one of the locks. It should not be
very difficult, for the wood looks so rotten as almost to be crumbling
to powder."

No sooner said than done. Drake eagerly placed the end of his stout
cudgel under the hasp of the nearest of the boxes and, using it as a
lever, soon sent the iron flying, the nails drawing out of the soft,
"punky" wood as easily as though they had been set in putty. Next they
swung the lid back; and then--what a sight met their astounded eyes!

The box contained neither gold nor silver, but was full to the brim with
jewels of the most magnificent description, unset, every one of them,
and all flashing and scintillating in the glare of the torches like a
boxful of the most exquisitely coloured liquid fire. The sight was so
extraordinarily beautiful that it fairly took the beholders' breath
away, and for quite a minute neither of them could speak a word; they
simply stood still, gasping with wonder and delight.

Another chest, and then another was opened, both of

Missing pages 223 and 224.

Missing page.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

MUTTERINGS OF WAR.

The single, and scarcely original, exclamation of "Oh!" was all that
Captain Drake appeared to be capable of uttering for the moment. His
eyes continued to bulge from their sockets, and he looked like a
suddenly-awakened somnambulist. He was trying to realise the meaning of
what Frobisher had just told him, and was finding it altogether too much
for him.

At last Frobisher said, with a laugh: "Well, skipper, the money's here,
sure enough; but so are we, and it remains to be seen whether or not we
can get out."

"We'll get out all right, don't you trouble," returned Drake
confidently; "but"--unable as yet to detach his mind from the subject of
his suddenly-acquired