the large recess. Samples of the clothing, some of the
knives or daggers, as well as the little trinkets, found near each of
the bodies, were deposited in the receptacles that had been selected for
removal.

All this accumulation of material was more than they had bargained for
when they left the Cataract, so that the failure to bring the team was
keenly felt. However, it was the work of an hour, only, to get the team,
and it was a pretty fair load which went from the pirates' haunts to the
home on the river.

George's curiosity could not keep him from taking some of the coins
which he exhibited when they returned, and which they would have ample
leisure to examine.

Harry's thoughts were turned to the firearms. They were certainly of an
antiquated pattern. The first thing was their length. Two of them were
unusually long, fully six and a half feet.

"I wonder why it was they made their guns so long?" he inquired.

"The reason was, probably, that the quality of powder was so bad that
the bullet would get out before all the powder was consumed. All the
ancient pistols were very inefficient, because of the short barrel. Even
down to the time of the American Revolution the guns on board of war
vessels were not capable of throwing shot very far, and the most
effective ones were those with long barrels."

"In what respect is the powder of to-day more powerful than in olden
times?"

"Particularly in the fact that formulas have been devised which make a
higher expansion, or give a greater volume of gas. The other feature of
value is, that chemical means have been discovered whereby the moment a
sufficient amount of heat has developed in the powder it instantly
burns--not a slow fusing, like the old powders--but the combustion is
instantaneous. These two factors working together have greatly improved
even the black powders."

After their return the interest in the articles was so great, and the
inventory took so much time, that the disappearance of Angel had been
entirely forgotten. All remembered him going along, and no one had seen
him enter the cave. None of them believed he could be induced to go in,
hence no particular notice was taken of his movements.

An hour after the return, Harry saw Angel coming over the field at the
east of the Cataract, dragging something after him laboriously. All
stood and watched him as he neared home. He had a stick, apparently, but
it seemed to be unusually heavy.

George ran ou