ur father say that we were to unpack the
box?"

"Yes, and we've done it," I replied rather sulkily.

"Well, oughtn't we to take the things out of the paper, and lay the
paper all neatly and save the string?"

"Think so?" I said longingly.

Bigley hesitated, took up a packet, turned it over, balanced it in his
hand, laid it down again, and rearranged several of the others without
speaking, but he heaved a deep sigh.

"Think we ought to unpack them further?" I said.

"No," said Bigley unwillingly. "I don't think it would be right. Do
you?"

"No," I said with a sigh; "but I should like to have a look."

We two lads went on hovering about the table, peering at first one
packet and then at another, feeling them up and down, and quite
convincing ourselves that certain ones were a little more ornamental
than others. There was no doubt about it, we felt. They were swords,
pistols, and carbines.

"Here, I know," I exclaimed.

"Know what, Sep?"

"The boxes, 250."

"Well, what about 'em?"

"Cartridges," I said. "Two hundred and fifty in each."

"So they are," cried Bigley with his eyes dilating; and, however much we
may have been disappointed over the silver mine, the counting-house now
seemed to be a perfect treasure cave, such an armoury had it become.

"I say, they won't go off, will they?" cried Bigley.

"Pshaw! Not they. I say, wouldn't old Bob like to be here now?"

"Ah, wouldn't he?" said Bigley. "Why, it's like being in a real
robbers' cave."

"No," I said; "not robbers'," and I recalled the thoughts I had indulged
in earlier in the day.

"No; of course not," said Bigley thoughtfully; "it isn't like a robbers'
cave. I say, don't it look as if there were going to be a fight?"

I nodded, and wondered whether there would be.

"Should you like to be in it if there was?" I said in a curious
doubting manner.

Bigley rubbed one ear, and picked up a sword.

"I don't know," he said. "Sometimes I think I should; but sometimes I
feel as if it would be very horrid to give a fellow a chop with a thing
like this, just as if he was so much meat. I would, though, if he was
going to hurt my father," he cried with his eyes flashing. "I'd cut his
arm right off. Wouldn't you?"

"Dunno," I said, and I began wondering whether there would ever be any
occasion to use these weapons, and I could not help a shrinking
sensation of dread coming over me, for I seemed to see the horror as
well as the glor