All gazed at the spot pointed out, at the same time centering the rays from the fast-fading flashlight on the place. They saw a curious mound of stones, evidently built up by hand. The stones averaged the size of bricks, and arose in a pyramid to the height of several feet.
“That’s it! That’s it!” yelled Ira Small, excitedly. “That’s the place! I remember one of them sailors said there was stones heaped on the flat rock like the pyramids of Egypt, only, o’ course, not so high!”
“Well, that heap was certainly placed there by hand and not by nature,” answered Jack. “Come on, let’s throw the stones aside and see what is under the pile!”
All set to work, including the lanky sailor, and it may well be believed that the stones composing the pyramid were quickly scattered in all directions. At the bottom, they came upon a flat rock resting upon four other rocks which evidently had an opening between them.
“Some rock!” said Jack, as he surveyed it. “We’ll have our own trouble moving it, I’m afraid.”
The searchlight was placed a few feet away, and the boys and the sailor set to work to move the heavy flat stone which rested on the four others. At first they could not budge the stone, but finally they brought it up on one edge and let it fall over on the other side. Underneath, in a square hollow, they saw more small stones, evidently packed in by hand and tamped down. They had a job removing two or three of these, but then the others came up easily.
“Hello! Here’s a handle of some sort!” exclaimed Randy, feverishly. “I believe it’s the handle of a box!”
All saw the handle, which was about five inches long and so rusted and mildewed they could not make out of what material it was composed. Jack and Randy, aided by the old tar, pulled upon it with might and main and presently brought to light a small chest evidently of iron, brass, or some hard wood—what, they could not determine for at that instant the rays of the flashlight died away, leaving them in total darkness.