in a great chamber, whose walls they could
make out dimly on each side. They could not see the top of the
water-fall, but they could see its lower part very plainly. Through the
tumbling water of the fall, near the bottom, sunlight was shining.
Behind the water was an opening some six feet high, and as the water
fell across this opening the sunlight from without shone through it,
making it glow with green and sparkle with white. The water-fall hung
over this opening like a curtain.

"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "I'm pretty near drowned, and my clothes are a
sight to behold. But I'm the captain of this expedition, and my orders
is, that we go ashore."

The water proved to be shallow all about them, and they waded to a strip
of dry ground beside the wall which rose at their left as they faced the
fall. Aunt Amanda, whose cane was gone, was assisted by Mr. Toby and
Mr. Punch.

"Blamed if my hat ain't gone too," said Toby. "She was a good hat, I'll
have to say that for her."

The party walked along the edge of the water, and came to the end wall
of the chamber, opposite the fall. There lay the wreck of the raft, with
the tail of the great fish sticking out from beneath.

"I fear," said the Sly Old Codger, "that the faithful creature has
departed this life."

"He's dead as a doornail," said Toby.

"Poor thing," said Aunt Amanda. "Anyway, my orders is to explore this
cavern, and see what we can find."

At this end of the cavern the water was slipping away under the wall,
and this outlet explained why the water inside remained so shallow. The
party commented on it, and then walked along the side wall towards the
other end where the fall was. When they were midway along this wall, a
cry from Toby, who had left Aunt Amanda to the care of Mr. Punch,
startled the others.

"What's this?" he cried. "Look here!"

He was stooping over something, and as the others gathered round, they
saw that he was stooping over a pile of small square boxes, standing in
several long rows along the wall.

Mr. Hanlon lifted one of the boxes, with a great effort, and shook it. A
jingling sound came from within.

"Aha!" said the Sly Old Fox. "That beautiful music! It is the sound,
dear friends, the sound of--of Money!"

"Bless my soul!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Is it?"

"My opinion is," said the Churchwarden, "that there is gold in that
box."

"Then open it!" said Aunt Amanda.

Mr. Hanlon shook his head. The box was locked tight, and it wa