ll of something light. And I say, Mike, they look as if they couldn't
be many years old."

"That's because the cavern's so clean and dry. Let's look at the
packages. I say, smell this one. There's no mistake about it--cloves!"

Vince nodded, and they tried others, which gave out, some the same
unmistakable odour, others those of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Further examination of some small, heavy, solid packets left little
doubt in the lads' minds that they were dealing with closely folded or
rolled pieces of silk, and they ended their examination by trying to
interpret the brands with which some of the packages were marked.

"One can't be sure without opening them," said Vince eagerly; "but I
feel certain that these are silk, the other packages spice, and the kegs
have got gloves and lace in them. There are two kinds."

"Yes; some are larger than the others. Shall we open a few of them, to
see if they've been destroyed by time?"

"No, not yet," replied Vince thoughtfully. "Let's go and have a look at
that boat sail and the oars. Those oars ought to be old and
worm-eaten--ready to tumble to pieces--and the sail-cloth like so much
tinder!"

Mike nodded, and followed him rather unwillingly; for the keg nearest to
his hand fascinated him, and he longed intensely to force out the head.

It was not many steps to where the boat gear stood and lay, and Vince
began to haul it about after the first glance.

"Look here, Ladle!" he cried; "these things are not so very old. The
canvas is as strong as can be, and it can't be so many years since these
oars were marked with a hot iron."

"Oh, nonsense!" said Mike, who did not like to give up his cherished
ideas; "it's because they're so dry and safe here."

"It isn't," said Vince impetuously; "and look here, at all these
footmarks!"

"Well, what's to prevent them from being just the same after a hundred
years?"

"The wind," cried Vince. "If those marks were old the sand would have
drifted in and covered them over quite smooth, same as the floor was in
our cave before we walked about it. Mike, all these things are quite
new, and haven't been put here long."

"Nonsense! who could have put them?"

"I don't know; but here they are, and if we don't look out some one will
come and catch us. This is a smugglers' cave."

"But there are no smugglers here. Who ever heard of smugglers at the
Crag!"

"I never did; but I'm sure these are smuggled goods."

"Well, I don