it locked up in one of the drawers of the big
safe at his office. He showed it to us once. It's on the end of one of
those chains that old gentlemen used to wear hanging down under their
waistcoats."

At this point the conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Guy
and Ida, who had just returned from a walk.

"Hullo!" cried the former. "What are you two doing with Uncle Roger's
box?"

"Only looking at it," answered Brian.

"What a crank the old chap must have been!" continued Guy. "Why didn't
he leave it in his will to be opened at once?"

"I've heard father say that he was always doing queer things," remarked
Ida. "Long after his wife died he wouldn't eat his meals unless her
place was laid for her opposite to him at table, where she used to sit.
For the last five years of his life they say he stayed in the house, and
never put his foot outside the door."

"Silly old chump!" remarked Guy. "I wonder if there really is anything
in this old box of his. Look here; I'll turn it up, and you listen and
tell me if you hear anything move inside."

"O Guy, don't! You may break something!" exclaimed his sister.

"Not I. I'll do it gently. Now listen." Slowly and cautiously he turned
the box on end, but its contents did not appear to move.

"I believe the blessed thing's empty!" cried the boy.

"I fancied I heard something sort of trickle about inside," said Elsie.

"Oh, you're always fancying something," said her brother. "You'll say
the grindstone's in there next."

"I thought I heard something too," exclaimed Brian. "But it was only
a very slight sound, such as a bit of loose wood might make--a chip,
perhaps, from off the inside of the lid."

Guy lowered the box, and turned it up again. "I do hear something," he
admitted. "It's a bit of wood, I expect. What a sell! I'm certain the
box is empty."

"Oh, nonsense; you can't tell," answered Ida. "It may be quite full of
something, and so tightly packed that the contents are wedged together,
and can't shake about when you move the box. Uncle Roger would never
have taken the trouble to seal the locks, and leave those instructions
in his will, if it were just an empty box."

"Well, here goes," said Brian. "I'm going to put it back in its place
again." And with these words he lifted the chest in his strong arms,
and returned it to its old corner. Guy remained for a moment balancing
himself on one foot.

"Let me see," he said; "what was it I meant to do? Oh, I k