“My luck again!” thought Jeremy, groaning in spirit.” I might have sat on the edge of that cliff for ten years, and never got a chance of dragging her up.”
“Then we pulled up that horrid box, which she found down in the sand, and tied a cord to.”
“Yes,” exclaimed Ernest, who was now arriving, “and, would you believe it, Dorothy wanted us to throw it back again!”
“I know I did; I said that it was unlucky, and it is unlucky.”
“Nonsense, Dorothy! it is very interesting. I expect that it will be found to contain deeds buried in the churchyard for safety and never dug up again,” broke in Mr. Cardus, much interested. “Let me catch hold of that stick, Miss Ceswick, and I daresay that Jeremy will go on and get a hammer and a cold chisel, and we will soon solve the mystery.”
“Oh, very well, Reginald; you will see,” said Dorothy.
Mr. Cardus glanced at her. It was curious her taking such an idea. Then they walked to the house. On reaching the sitting-room they found Jeremy already there with his hammer and chisel. He was an admirable amateur blacksmith; indeed, there were few manual trades of which he did not know a little, and, placing the case on the table, he set about the task of opening it in a most workmanlike manner.
The lead, though it was in places eaten quite away, was still thick and sound near the edges, and it took him a good quarter of an hour’s hard chopping to remove what appeared to be the front of the case. Excitement was at its height as it fell forward with a bang on the table; but it was then found that what had been removed was merely a portion of an outer case, there being beneath it an inner chest, also of lead.
“Well,” said Jeremy, “they fastened it up pretty well;” and then he set to work again.
This inner skin of lead was thinner and easier to cut than the first had been, and he got through the job more quickly, though not nearly quickly enough for the impatience of the bystanders. At last the front fell out, and disclosed a small cabinet made of solid pieces of black oak and having a hinged door, which was fastened by a tiny latch and hasp of the common pattern, that is, probably, as old as doors are. From this cabinet there came a strong odour of spices.