Part 23 (1/2)
On that basis, namely, of twenty-five guns, ten rounds would mean two hundred and fifty sh.e.l.ls, and it was then considered that the most important thing would be to utilize the time of two for the purpose of making the sh.e.l.ls. This was the most laborious process, as every step had to be done by hand, the dies being in the form of separate punches, held and driven by hand, as they had no such thing as a press for manipulating the dies.
One morning Harry said: ”I know it isn't the proper thing to suggest it while we are all so busy making the preparations for the expedition, but I think we ought to make a trip to the cave before we start.”
Neither of them objected to the proposal, and George went to the Professor, and told him that he and Harry had conferred on the subject of the cave, and with his permission they would take the boys there.
The Professor's a.s.sent was given with a smile of pleasure, and several lamps were put into condition for the event. All was excitement now with the young spirits, and the Professor a.s.sisted them in the preparations.
It did not take long to reach the mouth of the cavern, and lighting the lamps, descended slowly. Neither George nor Harry had informed the boys of the treasure within the cave, nor of the skeletons which were discovered, although, when the boys had asked the source of the skeletons in the laboratory enough of an evasive answer was given to make them suspect the source, and this was confirmed when Harry told them, days before, that they had also discovered a cave.
They descended the steps, and made their way along the pa.s.sage leading to the first recess. As the chamber came into view the boys were entranced at the sight. It was a novelty to them. It was the first time they had ever witnessed such a thing.
To Harry and George it was no longer a thing to marvel at. They were veterans in the exploring field.
”This makes a fellow feel queer in here,” exclaimed Tom, as he glanced around at the magnificent stalact.i.tes.
”Did we tell you,” replied George, ”about the mysterious thing that happened to us the second time we came in?”
”No; what was it?”
”We entered from the other opening by the sea.”
”Another opening? Do you mean that this cave has two openings just like the one John spoke about?”
”Yes; but this is a mighty long one, and it had a lot of water in it twice when we visited it, but I don't think we shall find any here now.”
”Why not?”
”Because we have not had much rain for the past month.”
”But you forgot about the mystery.”
”That's so; we went in from the other end and had gone up nearly to where the water began, when we put one of the lights on a ledge, and went forward with the other, and when we had gone about a hundred feet, it disappeared, and we have never found it to this day.”
”That does seem odd. Do you think it was taken by some one?”
”Well, we could not possibly account for it in any other way but that it fell off the ledge by some accident. How that could be possible I don't know, as George declared he had placed it in a secure position.”
By this time they had reached the recess, and George suggested that the entire cave should be examined, and Ralph was somewhat in the lead.
Everywhere was the universal whiteness of the calcareous deposit. As they reached the vicinity of the chests, where the copper vessels were, they formed a striking contrast to the whiteness all around.
”What are those things there?” asked Tom, stepping back in surprise, pointing to the vessels.
Ralph peered forward, to get a better view. ”It looks like kettles of some kind.”
Harry pa.s.sed the boys and walking up to one of the kettles, overturned it, and as a shower of the coins slid out, and rolled about, they were amazed beyond all description.
Ralph was the first to recover, and he picked up some of the coins: ”Didn't you know about these? I believe they are gold; look, Tom. Did you ever see anything like this?”
Tom was stupefied. ”I don't wonder that men will risk their lives to get treasure like this. Here we didn't hunt for it and we found it.”