"'This is the place. Dig—dig—and dig some more.
"'The Unterrified Band of Near-Bandits.'"
"Great wits, eh?" laughed Piper. "Give me a shovel; we'll soon find out something."
Heydon followed his example, and, with much vigor, the young men attacked the work. Snow fairly flew off to the sides, while an eager group crowded expectantly around.
"Only a hoax!" groaned Yardsley, as the minutes flew by and nothing was revealed.
Heydon finally paused, a look of disgust came over his face, and he was about to make some remark, when Robson's shovel struck a hard object.
"Hello! What's this—a box?" he exclaimed.
"Doesn't feel as if anything was in it," remarked Heydon, giving the box a rude shove with his foot.
"The mean rascal," groaned Yardsley. "All this tramp fur nothin'—jest ter find an empty box—never was so riled in my life."