some members of the
crew to complete the examination. For this the diving bell was used, as
well as the suits.

"I don't think very much," was the answer. "It looks as though we had
been sold."

"Do you think Hardley knew that the gold had been changed to iron--that
is, all but a small part of it?"

"No, I don't believe he did," Tom answered. "If he were here I'd
warrant he would be as much surprised as we are. He certainly believed
the Pandora was a regular treasure-ship."

"Just how much did she really have in gold?" asked Mr. Damon, looking
at the double eagles on the table of the M. N. 1.

"Well, at a rough guess I'd say ten thousand dollars," Tom answered.
"We haven't brought it all out yet, and it's possible they may find a
full box in the safe. But, unless there is one, I guess ten or fifteen
thousand dollars will cover it."

"And Hardley said two millions!" exclaimed Ned. "Whew, what a
difference!"

"Do you think he was in on the change?" asked one of the officers.

"No," replied Tom. "I guess it was like a good many of these
filibustering plots. Somebody put up good money to be used to gain
control of a country--perhaps for the country's good. But somebody else
made the substitution, and the patriots were left. I don't believe
Hardley knew this."

"Well, you'll get a little out of it, Tom," Ned remarked.

"Nothing worth while," was the answer. "But I'm not disappointed; that
is, very much. Of course I could use the money, but I don't really need
it. The trip has been a wonderful experience, and I have learned
something I didn't know before. I'm sorry for you, though, Mr. Damon.
You invested considerable with Hardley, didn't you?"

"About twenty thousand dollars, Tom. It will be hard to lose it, but I
guess I can stand it."

Tom privately made up his mind to see that his old friend did not
suffer financially, for the gold discovered on the Pandora, while it
was far from the amount hoped for, would almost reimburse Mr. Damon.
But the young inventor did not say anything about that just then.

They were looking at the recovered gold and getting ready to store it
in some of the boxes that had been brought from the wreck when the
divers that had remained on the Pandora to bring the last of the
treasure returned through the chamber. Two of them carried a small
steel box.

"What's that?" asked Tom, when they had their helmets off.

"Don't know," was the answer. "It was in the purser's safe. Stuc