"Then open it!" said Aunt Amanda.
Mr. Hanlon shook his head. The box was locked tight, and it was bound with iron bands. All the boxes were locked, and they were all bound with iron bands.
"Come along this way," said Toby. "There's something more here."
Further along the wall, leaning against it, was a row of large coffee-sacks, each bound around the mouth by strong twine. One of these sacks Mr. Hanlon quickly opened. He tilted it over and poured out its contents on the ground. The party of onlookers gasped with astonishment.
From the mouth of the bag fell pearl necklaces; diamond rings; ruby rings; emerald rings; all kinds of rings; gold bracelets and chains; silver forks and spoons; gold toothpicks; gold cups; silver vases; and a great variety of other things of the same sort.
It was a moment or two before anyone spoke. Then the Churchwarden said, "It's my opinion that this is pirates' treasure."
"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "And they may be in here on us any minute!"
Mr. Hanlon opened others of the bags. Each was filled with rare and costly articles of gold, silver, and precious stones.
"Do you think it's really pirates?" said Freddie, in an awed whisper.
"Not a doubt of it!" said Toby, in a voice much lower than before. "Look at this!"