or they might have obtained much more.

When it grew dark they returned to their camp, lighted the fire, and
made themselves comfortable.

It was difficult to keep to their resolution of eating only a very
little food, and Bill had to stop Jack before he thought he had had half
enough.

"I don't want to stint you," he said, "but recollect you will be crying
out when our stock comes to an end, and wishing you had not eaten it."

As they had had so long a sleep, neither of them was inclined to turn
in; and Bill proposed that they should examine the smugglers' store.

They had several pieces of wood which they thought would burn as the
first had done, and each taking three, with a candle to be used in case
of emergency, they set out.

They found their way easily enough; but Jack, as before, did not feel
quite comfortable as he saw the strange figures, which seemed to be
flitting about the sides of the cavern; sometimes, too, he fancied that
he detected faces grinning down upon him from the roof, and more than
once he declared positively that he had caught sight of a figure robed
in white stealing along in front of them.

Bill each time answered with a laugh.

"Never mind. We shall catch it up if it's a ghost, and we'll make it
carry a torch and go ahead to light us."

As they moved on more rapidly than before, they were able to reach the
inner cavern before either of their torches was much more than half
burned through. They thought it wiser to keep both alight at a time, in
case one should accidentally go out, and they should be unable to light
it again with a match.

With feelings of intense curiosity they approached the smugglers' store.
Both agreed, as they examined it, that the goods must have been there
for some time; but the place being very dry (probably it was chosen on
that account), they did not appear to be much damaged. The goods, as
far as they could judge, were English.

There were many bales of linen and cloth. One of the cases which they
forced open contained cutlery, and another was full of pistols; and from
the weight of several which they did not attempt to open, they judged
that they also contained firearms.

There were two small chests placed on the top of the others. They were
strongly secured; but by means of a sharp stone, which served as a
chisel, and another as a hammer, they managed to break one of them open.
What was their surprise to find the case full of gold pieces! They