“Calm yourself, Pop,” said Grant, but he too, was excited. In fact, the strange cave and the chest suggested all sorts of things to the four youths. What if they should find that the chest was full of money? Stranger things than that have happened.
“It certainly sounded hollow in spite of all you say,” remarked Fred. “See if all four of us can’t get hold and move it.” He kicked it once more and again the weird sound rang through the cave.
“Don’t do that, Fred,” begged George. “It gives me the shivers.”
“Get hold here then,” exclaimed Fred.
The combined efforts of the four boys did not even slightly move the great chest. It was an awkward thing to handle, however, as well as very heavy.
“Perhaps it is empty after all,” remarked Grant, as they all paused to regain their breath. “A chest as big as that would weigh a lot all alone.”
“Maybe,” admitted Fred. “At any rate I say we get it out on the ledge in front there where we can have a good look at it.”
“That’s the idea,” exclaimed George. “We can get it there if we all help. Everybody get to work here now!”
Pushing and hauling, grunting and groaning the young castaways bent to their task. Little by little the great iron chest was moved closer and closer to the entrance of the cave. The sweat poured from the boys in streams and their arms and their backs ached. They would not give up, however. The lure of treasure had them in its grasp and they were determined to find out just what the contents of this chest were if such a thing were possible.
“Just a little more,” urged Grant, and with one final effort the chest was pushed out onto the ledge of rock in front of the cave.