The padlock was removed and all four boys crowded around and eagerly
grasped the top. It was not so easy to open, however, but finally it was
done. Every boy's eyes glistened expectantly as the top was raised. The
least they expected to see was a great pile of gold, but no such sight
presented itself.

"It's empty," cried Grant. His voice sounded as if he had lost his last
friend on earth.

"There's a piece of paper in there," corrected Fred. "Let's see if that
says anything."

Keen disappointment showed on the face of every boy. Their hopes had
been dashed. There was no special reason why they should have expected
to find such a treasure-chest as they had pictured this one to be, but
this idea had fixed itself in their minds and they really counted on all
being made rich the moment they opened it up.

"What does the paper say, Fred?" inquired Grant listlessly. Most of his
interest had faded.

"I don't know," said Fred carelessly. "It's nothing but a bunch of mixed
up numbers. Say," he exclaimed suddenly. "Let me see that code in your
pocket."

"What do you want that for?" inquired Grant curiously, at the same time
producing the article in question and handing it over to Fred.

Fred grasped it and quickly spread it open. Holding the one he had found
in the chest alongside the other he ran his eye hurriedly over the two.
Then he turned to his three companions, who were watching him curiously.

"Do you know that these two papers are exactly alike?" he demanded
excitedly.

CHAPTER XV

SAM REMEMBERS SOMETHING

"Alike?" cried Grant in amazement. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I said," returned Fred. "The numbers on these two papers are
exactly the same from start to finish."

"That's the strangest thing I ever heard of in my life," exclaimed
Grant. "Let me look at them."

"Didn't I tell you fellows that that piece of parchment Petersen had was
a code of some sort?" demanded Fred.

"Does the fact that we found one like it prove that?" said George
skeptically.

"It certainly seems so to me," Fred exclaimed. "At any rate, it is a
very odd coincidence."

"It's that all right," admitted George. "Are they exactly alike, Grant?"

"They seem to be," replied Grant, who had been carefully studying the
two papers.

"We can soon find out, anyway," said John. "Let me have one of them and
I'll read it aloud. One of you fellows can watch the other and check up
the numbers."

"That's a good scheme,"