"Another, eh?" he laughed, as he saw Thad draw back, with an exclamation of surprise and wonder.
"No trap this time; but something else poor old The must have shoved in there for safe-keeping."
When he held the object up Maurice saw that it seemed to be a little packet, wrapped in a dingy piece of oiled cloth.
"Well, I declare, that's mighty queer. Looks like the old fellow used that hole for keeping his valuables in. Bring it over to the light, Thad, and let's take a peep at it."
Thad was only too eager to do so, for somehow the fact of finding a treasure-trove aboard the Tramp excited him not a little.
So he knelt down beside the rough little table that served them in so many capacities, yet which could be turned up against the cabin wall in case more room was needed at any time.
"Here, take my knife and cut that cord," said Maurice, when his chum had been clumsily fingering the wrapping that bound the odd little packet for what to him seemed an unnecessarily long time.
"Guess I'll just have to," observed Thad, with a grin; "since my fingers all seem like thumbs. Here she goes, then," and he started to use the keen edge of the steel blade.
"Wonder what it is," remarked the other, his eyes glued curiously on the packet, which was not more than five or six inches in length.
"Feels just like a book," returned Thad, starting to unwrap the cloth that bound the object in its waterproof folds.