the knife and he was working tremendously. He
hacked and carved the sand, exerting himself to the utmost. All at once
the knife struck something hard that had a metallic ring to it.

"You've got it, Pop!" cried Grant excitedly. "You've got it sure!"

"Hurry up and dig around it," exclaimed Fred. "Let me do it."

"I can do it all right," said George, and he fell to work with even more
zeal than formerly.

Again and again his knife struck the metallic surface beneath him. His
companions, grouped all around the pit, riveted their gaze on him and
watched him with rapt attention. George dropped the knife and dug the
sand away with his hands. The black top of an iron chest presented
itself to the view of the fascinated onlookers.

"Can you move it, Pop?" cried Grant.

"I can't find the edge of it."

"Ah get 'im," said Sam suddenly, and he dropped into the pit and began
to work like a beaver. Their combined efforts soon cleared all the sand
from the top of the chest, which appeared to be about eighteen inches
square. On the top was a little handle with which to lift it.

"Lift it out, Sam!" cried John. "Lift it out!"

Sam exerted all his strength but could not budge the stocky little
chest. It was either extremely heavy or stuck fast. Every one who was
concerned in the matter was so interested in these operations that he
was entirely unconscious of everything except what was going on in the
pit right before their eyes.

"Dig it out a little more," advised Grant. "You can lift it then."

This proved to be true and a few moments later after a great pulling and
tugging Sam succeeded in raising the heavy little chest from its place.
Another great effort and he swung it up out of the pit where it was
pounced upon by Fred, John and Grant. Sam and George followed almost
instantly and an immediate inspection was made to see how it was to be
opened.

"There's no lock on--" began Grant eagerly, when he was strangely
interrupted.

"Ahoy, there!" came a shout and in amazement every one turned to see
whence came the hail. Its bow just grating on the beach, was a small
boat manned by four sailors; a half-mile off shore a large steamer was
riding at anchor. So engrossed had all the boys been in digging the pit
that they had not once noticed nor suspected its approach.

"Well," gasped John, "what do you think of that?"

"It means we get home all right anyway," exclaimed Fred. "Where do you
suppose it came from?"

"I don't