so, little girl."

"Maybe gold," added Laddie, his eyes big with excitement.

"No, and not gold," said Mrs. Bunker.

"Candy?" asked Margy, who had not one sweet tooth, it seemed, but
several.

"Pop-corn balls!" said Mun Bun.

"Huh! candy and pop-corn balls would all be wet in the ocean," exclaimed
Laddie.

By this time Russ came running back with the hammer. Behind him came
Cousin Tom, Cousin Ruth and Daddy Bunker.

"What's all this I hear about a million dollars being found in a box on
the beach?" asked Daddy Bunker with a laugh.

"Well, there's the box," said Russ, pointing. "Please open it."

"I wonder what can be in it," said Cousin Ruth.

"Oh, maybe nothing," replied her husband, who did not want the children
to be too much disappointed if the box should be opened and found to
hold nothing more than some straw or shavings for packing.

"Lots of boxes that are cast up on the beach have nothing in them," said
Cousin Tom, as Daddy Bunker got ready to use the hammer on the one Russ
and the others had found.

"There is something in this box, all right," said Daddy Bunker, as he
lifted one end. "I don't believe this box is empty, though what is in it
may turn out to be of no use. But we will open it and see."

The six little Bunkers crowded around to look. So did Mother Bunker and
Cousin Tom and his wife. And then a very disappointing thing happened.
All of a sudden a wave, bigger than any of the others that had been
rolling up on the beach, broke right in front of the box resting on the
sand. Up the shore rushed the salty, green water.

"Look out!" cried Mother Bunker. "We'll all be wet!"

Daddy Bunker, not wishing to have his shoes soiled with the brine,
jumped back. So did the others. And, in jumping back, Mr. Bunker let go
his hold on the box, which he was just going to open with Cousin Tom's
hammer. And the big wave, which was part of the rising tide, just lifted
the box up, and the next moment carried it out into the ocean, far from
shore, as the wave itself ran back down the hill of sand.

"Oh! Oh, dear!" cried Rose.

"Grab it!" yelled Russ.

"I'll get it!" exclaimed Laddie.

He made a rush to get hold of the box again before it should be washed
too far out from shore, but he stumbled over a pile of sand and fell. He
was not hurt, but when he got up the box was farther out than ever.

Daddy Bunker looked at the water between him and the box, and said:

"It's too deep to wade and spoil a p