Broughton sifted the sawdust through his fingers, and his astonishment was not lessened when he discovered two others hidden in the little pile.
He gazed at the three gold coins lying in his palm. As he did so Harkness gave a smothered exclamation and, stooping rapidly, picked something out from between two of the boards of the hold’s bottom.
‘Another, by gum!’ cried the foreman in low tones, ‘and another!’ He bent down again and lifted a second object from behind where the cask was standing. ‘Blest if it ain’t a blooming gold mine we’ve struck.’
Broughton put the five sovereigns in his pocket, as he and Harkness unostentatiously scrutinised the deck. They searched carefully, but found no other coins.
‘Did you drop them when I dragged you back?’ asked Harkness.
‘I? No, I wish I had, but I had no gold about me.’
‘Some of the other chaps must ’ave then. Maybe Peters or Wilson. Both jumped just at this place.’
‘Well, don’t say anything for a moment. I believe they came out of the cask.’
‘Out o’ the cask? Why, sir, ’oo would send sovereigns in a cask?’
‘No one, I should have said; but how would they get among the sawdust if they didn’t come out through the crack with it?’