“Have you got the rope?” Gil cried, impatiently.
“It’s here, an’ we’ll soon have you out.”
“Can’t you send down some kind of a light? I’ve fallen on what I truly believe is the decaying fragments of a chest, and unless I’m very much mistaken in regard to what I’ve got in my hand, we’ve struck the treasure at last.”
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TREASURE CHAMBER.
Strange as it may seem, Gil’s announcement caused Nelse to forget entirely the danger by which they were surrounded, and, regardless of the fact that none of the party were certain of ever leaving the tunnel alive, his only desire now was to gain possession of the supposed hoard.
The sailor was not one whit less excited; he had a stock of matches in his pockets, but could not find them until after a search of several seconds, owing to extreme agitation caused by Gil’s announcement.
“Do hurry!” Nelse cried, impatiently, as the man fumbled about his clothing. “Something may happen to prevent us from seeing the treasure if you spend so much time doing nothing.”
“I’m trying to find another match, an’ then, perhaps, we can rig up somethin’ that’ll answer for a torch, but it seems as if my fingers were all thumbs jest now.”
“Don’t keep me waiting here all day, for I want to know what I’ve struck,” Gil cried, and after a few seconds more a tiny flame told that the sailor had finally succeeded in finding that which was wanted so badly just at that moment.