he presented Mrs. Jabb--even deigning to call her by that
name--and the little one had looked about her in great curiosity.

Then she perceived Elsa, holding out entreating hands, and promptly
ran to throw herself into the welcoming arms. Instantly there was
sympathy between these two afflicted young things and, as a new sound
fell upon the little one's ear, the elder girl explained:

"The monkeys! Would you like to see the monkeys? Or would you be
afraid?"

"Eunice never saw monkeys. What are monkeys? Are they people or just
dear, dear animals?"

"They're not people, darling, though oddly like them. Come and see."
Elsa was herself so shy in the presence of strangers, especially so
majestic a person as the mistress of Lady Cecilia's Manor, that she
was glad to escape to the tender where her charges were in their cage;
and for once the little animals were docile while on exhibition, so
that Eunice's delight was perfect. Indeed, she was so fascinated by
them that she could scarcely be induced to leave them, and when she
was compelled to do so by her mother's voice, she walked backward,
keeping her eyes fixed upon those delectable creatures till the last
instant.

Meanwhile those in the cabin of the Lily were merrily disputing over
who should open the "find," and finally drew lots upon it. Careful
Mrs. Bruce had brought a tray to put under the muddy box and brushed
the dirt from it, till she was prevented by the hubbub of voices, in
which that of the newcomer, Mrs. Jabb, was uppermost. She was
exclaiming:

"The lot is Corny's! Oh! I'm glad of that, and I say right here and
now that if I have any share in the 'treasure' I pass it onto him
'unsight, unseen,' as we used to say when, boy and girl together, we
exchanged our small belongings."

"Pooh! Joe, I don't half like it! But--shall I, folks? Looks as if the
box would come to pieces at a breath."

"Yes, yes, you--you do it! And we ratify what Mrs. Jabb has said.
Anyone of us who has a right to any of the contents of the 'treasure'
he has found will pass it on to Mr. Cornwallis Stillwell," said Aunt
Betty. "Dolly, hand him this little silver ice-hammer, to strike the
chest with."

Laughingly, he received it and struck:

"The fatal blow! Be kind, oh! fate! to a frightened meddler in this
mystery!"

The wooden box did fall apart, almost at that first stroke of the tiny
hammer. It was extremely old and much decayed by its long burial in
the ground, and had been