t and setting up the
skeleton to frighten marauders from the treasure, if by any chance
they should enter.

For a minute or two the men stood staring at each other over the great
treasure which they had unearthed in that dread place, shaking with
the reaction of their first excitement, and scarcely able to speak.

"How deep du it go?" said George at length.

Harold took his knife and loosed some of the top coins, which were
very tightly packed, till he could move his hand in them freely. Then
he pulled out handful after handful of every sort of gold coin. There
were Rose Nobles of Edward IV.; Sovereigns and Angels of Henry VII.
and VIII.; Sovereigns, Half-Sovereigns and gold Crowns of Edward VI.;
Sovereigns, Rials, and Angels of Mary; Sovereigns, Double Crowns and
Crowns of Elizabeth; Thirty-shilling pieces, Spur Rials, Angels,
Unites and Laurels of James I.; Three-pound pieces, Broads, and Half
Broads of Charles I.; some in greater quantity and some in less; all
were represented. Handful after handful did he pull out, and yet the
bottom was not reached. At last he came to it. The layer of gold
pieces was about twenty inches broad by three feet six long.

"We must get this into the house, George, before any one is about,"
gasped the Colonel.

"Yes, sir, yes, for sure we must; but how be we a-going to carry it?"

Harold thought for a minute, and then acted thus. Bidding George stay
in the vault with the treasure, which he was with difficulty persuaded
to do, he climbed the improvised rope ladder, and got in safety
through the hole. In his excitement he had forgotten about the summer-
house having been carried away by the gale, which was still blowing,
though not with so much fury as before. The wind-swept desolation that
met his view as he emerged into the dawning light broke upon him with
a shock. The summer-house was clean gone, nothing but a few uprights
remained of it; and fifty yards away he thought he could make out the
crumpled shape of the roof. Nor was that all. Quite a quarter of the
great oaks which were the glory of the place were down, or splintered
and ruined.

But what did he care for the summer-house or the oaks now? Forgetting
his exhaustion, he ran down the slope and reached the house, which he
entered as softly as he could by the side door. Nobody was about yet,
or would be for another hour. It was Christmas Day, and not a pleasant
morning to get up on, so the servants would be sure to lie a-be