w it for a
time.

"All right," laughed Jack, "but I don't believe we shall find any more
than we have already found. In fact, I don't believe the smugglers know of
this place at all and we won't find out anything."

However, they proceeded down the narrow path till they suddenly found
themselves at the end, where the place widened into a chamber about ten
feet square, and here they saw a sight which made Percival tremble.

It was a pile of human skeletons reaching nearly to the roof of the vault
and thrown promiscuously about like so much rubbish.

"I say, I've got enough of this!" gasped the young fellow. "Let's get out
of this, Jack, before we find anything worse. First the bottomless pit and
then a charnel house. I am satisfied!"

"It is not a very pleasant sight," said Jack musingly, "but they cannot do
us any harm. They have probably been here for years."

The boys returned to the chamber they had left and then went back along
the way they had come without seeking to explore any other passages.

Getting out into the light at last, they proceeded with their search for
the smugglers, resolving not to enter any more mysterious caves, but to
look for places where a vessel might be able to hide.

"There must be a lot of coves along here," said Jack, "that we have not
been able to find on account of the difficulty of making one's way along
the rocks, but now we are looking for them we don't mind doing a lot of
scrambling."

"No, we are used to that, and, besides, we are alone, and haven't young
Smith with us. I suppose he would have been delighted to come, for he
likes being with us, but it would have been too much of a task for him."

"And yet he would not have complained, Dick. He is a plucky little chap.
Just think of his going into the cabin of the wreck, up to his knees in
the water, to get that bag of gold just because he said he would."

"Yes, it was a nervy thing to do, and there are bigger boys in the Academy
who would not have done it. But I say, Jack, it is getting pretty rough
along here. I am afraid we may have to change our route."

They had come upon a mass of high rocks over which it was well nigh
impossible to make their way, and Jack stopped, looked around him and
said:

"It seems a pretty tough job, Dick. Suppose you give me a boost, however,
and let me see if I can get to the top of this one. I am lighter than you,
and perhaps I can make it."

"All right, Jack, just as you say," and Di