The board flew up and we flew down, sprawling on the ground. Somehow the captain, being versed in such matters, kept his feet, though he staggered a bit.
Then, in an instant, we were pulling wildly at the plank to dislodge it. This we accomplished after much effort, and a dark, dank recess was disclosed.
Captain Pegg dropped to his knees, and with his hand explored cautiously under the planks. His face fell.
'Shiver my timbers if I can find it!' he muttered.
'Let me try!' I cried eagerly.
Both Angel and I thrust our hands in also and fumbled among the moist lumps of earth.
Captain Pegg now lighted a match and held it in the aperture. It cast a glow upon our tense faces.
'Hold it closer!' implored Angel. 'This way—right here—don’t you see?'
At the same moment we both had seen the heavy metal ring that projected, ever so little, above the surface of the earth. We grasped it simultaneously and pulled. Captain Pegg lighted another match. It was heavy—oh, so heavy!—but we got it out: a fair-sized leather bag bound with thongs. To one of these was attached the ring we had first caught sight of.
Now, kneeling as we were, we stared up in Captain Pegg’s face. His wide blue eyes had somehow got a different look.