tty Fairfield!"

CHAPTER XIX

THE DISCOVERY

The removal of the old chimney-piece was not an easy task. If the Hartley
boys hadn't been big and strongly-built, they could scarcely have
succeeded in tearing away the woodwork from the wall. But they did do it,
and their labours were rewarded by the discovery of the long-lost
fortune!

Sure enough the historic "poke" was a pocket or recess between the old
bedhead and the main wall. It was really built in the chimney itself,
though not in the flue. But this chimney-place, with its wonderfully
carved mantel, was never used for fires, and the fortune had remained
undisturbed in its hiding-place.

As the boys lifted away the portion of the heavy oak that covered the
secret pocket, a rough wall of plaster was seen, and by tapping on it,
Sinclair learned that it was hollow.

"Shall we break through?" he said. "I feel sure the money is there."

"Break through, of course," cried Bob; "but wait a moment till I lock the
doors. This is no time for intruders."

Bob fastened the doors, and then with a hatchet they broke through the
plaster.

And even as the old mortar crumbled beneath their blows, out fell a
shower of glittering gold coins and tightly folded banknotes!

The sight was too much for the strained nerves of the watchers. Mabel
burst into tears, and Mrs. Cromarty trembled like a leaf.

The boys broke into shouts of joy, and Patty scarcely knew whether to
laugh or cry. But in a moment they were all congratulating each other and
showering praises on Patty for her cleverness in the matter.

"It's ours! It's ours!" cried Bob. "It's Grandy's, to be sure, but it
belongs to old Cromarty Manor, and we're all Cromartys. Patty, you're
hereby adopted and made one of us."

"What shall we do with it?" asked the more practical Sinclair. "I mean,
just at present. We must take care of it, at once, you know. We can't
leave it long like this."

"There's the old Spanish chest," said Mrs. Hartley, indicating a
good-sized affair that stood nearby. "Put it in that."

"Just the thing," said Bob. "Lend a hand, Clair."

It was a strange proceeding. The old coins, many of them still bright,
though of far back dates; represented a great deal of money. How much,
they could not guess as yet, but it was surely a large sum. Also there
were Bank of England notes, folded small that they might be pushed
through the openings in the carved oak, and well-preserved, as the pocket
had