His first feeling was that of relief. His second was one of amusement at the involuntary trick he had played on his mates. His third came to him so suddenly that it nearly took him off his feet.
What was it that Mr. Montgomery had said? “It’s where the water’s coming in.” In a moment of sanity, had the robbed and wounded man seen the place where the robbers had hidden his money?
“It’s where the water’s coming in.”
With legs that trembled, Teddy waded forward. He soon struck dry ground. He went up a slight slope, feeling his way until he was above high-water mark. He felt rough ledges as he steadied 239 himself against the rough side of the cave and suddenly a shock went through him that thrilled him to the finger tips.
On a ledge at the right, his hand rested on a box! He tried to lift it. It was too heavy.
He turned and raced for the entrance, plunged into the water and reappeared among his comrades.
“I’ve found it! I’ve found it!” he sputtered incoherently.
“Found what?” they yelled in chorus, already anticipating the answer.
“The money!” he repeated. “Ross’ money! I’ve found the chest of gold!”
None of them could remember very clearly just what followed. Like so many young otters the other boys swam after Teddy. They brought the chest to the water’s edge, and got it into the boat that Bill had swum back to fetch. They reached the beach, broke open the rusted lock with blows of a pick, and there before them in the sunlight was the gold. Golden sovereigns, golden eagles, golden twenty-franc pieces, gold that gleamed, gold that dazzled, gold that mirrored back their own delighted faces! A great wrong had been righted, and their persistent search had been crowned with a glorious success.