“Ye gads!” shrieked Red. “Is it real?”
“Where’d you find it?” demanded Midge, fingering one of the fat packages. “Inside the furnace?”
“Would that be likely with a fire going?” Brad demanded. “Dan dug it out of the coal pile. Must be a couple thousand dollars here at least.”
“Let’s count it,” proposed Fred Hatfield.
Sam, who was Fred’s father, had not spoken. However, very soberly he had been examining not only the metal box, but many of the packages of money.
“Do you think it’s genuine, sir?” Dan asked eagerly.
“I’m not an expert on money,” the Cub leader replied. “But this looks like straight goods to me.”
“How do you suppose the box came to be here in the church?” Brad asked.
“I haven’t the slightest idea. It bothers me though. I must notify the pastor and the church trustees at once. Also, the discovery should be reported to the police.”
The Cubs wanted to see the exact spot where Dan had found the money box. For that matter, so did Mr. Hatfield.