Chapter XXX · WHAT THE BOX CONTAINED—CONCLUSION

“Look at the gold!”

“I wonder what it’s worth?”

“Those sailors told the truth, after all!”

Such were some of the exclamations made by the Rover boys as they gazed at the contents of the chest pulled out of the rocky hole before them.

But if they were excited, Ira Small was more so, and for a few minutes the boys thought the old tar would go crazy. Again and again he dove his hands into the chest, to bring up the coins and let them fall back with a merry clink.

“I knowed we’d find it!” he cried. “Now I’ll be a rich man fur life!” And then he added quickly to the boys: “But you’re to have your share of it, lads. One-half of whatever is here goes to Jack an’ the rest of you.”

They were still looking over the coins in the chest when the bit of candle spluttered up and went out.

“Never mind! I don’t care how dark it is now,” said Andy. “We’ve found the treasure, and that’s enough.”

“We’ll have to stay here all night,” returned Jack. “We’ll never be able to find our way out in the darkness.”

“What do we care?” put in Randy, lightly. “I don’t believe any wild animals are going to bother us in this out-of-the-way hole. Those pirates certainly buried their gold in a spot where it was hard to find,” he added.

Sitting around in the darkness, the boys and the old sailor discussed the situation from every possible angle. They could make only a wild estimate of what the contents of the chest was worth, but knew it would run into many thousands of dollars.

Their exertions that day had worn them out completely, and presently all were glad to make themselves as comfortable as possible on the rocks and go to sleep. They set no guard, and such a precaution would have been unnecessary, for no wild animals came to disturb them.

In the morning they took another look at the contents of the chest, and then, while it was still early daylight, set out for the passageway under the cliff. It took them two hours to clamber to this place and two hours more to get out to the clumsy scow and rig up a hawser so that they could haul the chest on board.

“Now we’ve got it we don’t want to lose it,” said Ira Small anxiously, and so the ancient box was handled with care.

Once aboard the clumsy scow, they set out upon the return to the wrecked steam yacht.

“We’ll certainly have a story to tell when we get home,” said Fred to his cousins. “Do you know, I had half a notion that that story about pirates’ gold was a fairy yarn.”

“So did I, Fred,” said Randy. “But, of course, it’s well known that pirates did bury their treasures around the West Indies.”

Once aboard the wreck, the boys and the old sailor washed and brushed up the best they could, and then prepared for themselves a much-needed meal. After this they sat down to look over the contents of the chest more carefully and to wait as patiently as possible for those who might come to their rescue.

“These are Spanish doubloons all right enough,” said Jack. “But what they’re worth, I don’t know.”

“Yes, but they’re not all doubloons,” answered Randy. “Some of these coins seem to be copper.”

“Well, it’s quite a find, anyhow, Randy.”

“Oh, I agree with you on that!”

On the afternoon of the next day a vessel hove in sight which proved to be an auxiliary cruiser of the United States Navy. Again the boys and the old tar set up their signal of distress, and soon a small boat containing a couple of officers and a number of men reached the wreck.

“Hurrah! Hurrah!” shouted Andy, as they came up. “Now we’re safe!”

“What vessel is this?” asked one of the officers, as soon as he had found out who the party were; and when told he said that the Coryanda had been reported water-logged and about to sink two weeks before.

“She belongs to two scientists from Baltimore,” he said. “They had a valuable collection of wild animals, snakes and birds on board.”

“So they did!” answered Jack. “And, believe me, we had some fun with those creatures! A few of them are dead, and the rest of them were either drowned or escaped to this island.” And then he and his cousins and the old tar told their story.

“Did those two men, Jackson and Borderwell, who were in the hydroplane and flew over the wreck, notify you?” questioned Jack, curiously.

“They did,” answered the leading officer. “They were sent out on a scouting expedition,” he explained. “After such storms as we have had lately we often find wrecks floating around in this vicinity.”

“Well, those men certainly deserve our thanks,” put in Randy, and the other boys and Ira Small agreed with him.

Many of the things of value on the wreck were taken to the cruiser, and then the boys and the old tar went on board. The cruiser was from Porto Rico, but was bound for Norfolk, for which the boys were thankful.

“Well, it’s good-bye to the island!” cried Jack, as they steamed away.

“Yes, and good-bye to whatever of the wild animals and snakes are left!”

“Gee! what of the monkeys we left tied up?” questioned Jack, suddenly.

“They’re not tied up,” answered Andy. “I didn’t have the heart to do it, so I cut them loose when we were leaving camp.”

The auxiliary cruiser was, of course, supplied with radio, and the lads lost no time in sending a message to their parents. A few hours later came a return message, relayed from New York City, stating that the fathers of the four boys were on the way to meet them as soon as they landed at Norfolk.

It can well be imagined how impatient the boys were to reach home. Yet every time they thought of joining their parents and Mary and Martha a tinge of sadness crept into their minds.

“Poor Ralph, Gif and Spouter!” murmured Jack. “How we shall miss them!”

When at last Norfolk was reached, the boys could hardly wait to get ashore. There were their fathers ready to greet them, and my readers can rest assured that all received the warmest kind of welcome.

“We were hoping against hope when your message came,” declared Dick Rover. “We thought the motor boat had been lost with all on board.”

“We’ve been watching all the shipping reports for days,” added Tom Rover. “We knew there had been some terrible storms, and the papers have reported half a dozen wrecks. We were sure no motor boat could live in such weather.”

“Well, we’ve got bad news,” said Randy, sorrowfully. “Spouter, Gif and Ralph——”

“Are all safe!” burst in Sam Rover.

“Safe!” came simultaneously from the four Rover boys.

“Yes, safe! We got a message from them only yesterday. They were picked up by a vessel bound for Spain, and they are now on their way home.”

“Hurrah! This is the best yet!” cried Andy, and tried to do a jig in spite of his hurt ankle. Later on the poor fellow had to go to a hospital to have the ankle readjusted. But the operation was not a severe one, and soon his ankle was as well as ever.

The old sailor went home with the boys and was warmly thanked for all the assistance he had given the lads during their perilous days on the ocean and on the island.

The contents of the pirates’ chest was gone over carefully, and then Dick Rover advised that a well known numismatist be called in.

“What in the world is a numismicks?” demanded Ira Small, and when he was told what was meant, he agreed at once that what Dick Rover had suggested be done.

The numismatist went over all of the coins carefully and declared many of them valuable, not only intrinsically, but on account of their age and rarity. He took charge of the whole affair, and in the end the treasure brought in twenty-four thousand dollars.

“An’ half of it goes to the boys. I won’t have it no other way,” declared the lanky sailor. And so each of the boys was able to place three thousand dollars to his own bank account.

“Well, we certainly had great times on that trip!” declared Randy. “I don’t suppose we’ll ever have such strenuous times again.” But Randy could not look into the future. Strenuous days were still to come for the boys, and what some of them were will be related in another volume, to be entitled “The Rover Boys on Sunset Trail; or, The Old Miner’s Mysterious Message.”

It was not until later that the boys learned that the two scientists from Baltimore who owned the Coryanda had been saved along with all but two of those who had been aboard the ill-fated steam yacht. About the Hildegarde they heard nothing for many months, but one day Ira Small turned up with the information that the rum-runner had been lost in the hurricane and not a soul had been saved.

“Oh, Jack, I’m so glad you got back safe and sound,” said Ruth Stevenson, when she met the young major. “You can’t imagine how worried all of us were!”

“Well, I’m mighty glad to be back, Ruth,” he answered. “We’re all glad to be back. It was no fun being cast away on the ocean on that bit of wreckage and then to get on a water-logged yacht that had a lot of wild animals and snakes aboard.”

“What are they going to do about those wild animals and snakes?” questioned Martha.

“I don’t know and I don’t care,” answered her brother. “One such experience was enough for me.”

“I guess it was enough for all of us,” put in Randy.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind having that little monkey back,” came from Andy. “But as for the rest of the beasts—not for me!”

“Hurrah! Here’s a letter from Ralph, Spouter and Gif!” cried Fred, bursting in upon his cousins. “They’re coming back to America just as fast as a steamer can bring them.”

And now, while the Rover boys are reading the letter from their chums, we will say good-bye.

THE END

This Isn’t All!

Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in this book?

Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?

On the reverse side of the wrapper which comes with this book, you will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store where you got this book.

Don’t throw away the Wrapper

Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete catalog.

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

Author of “The Don Sturdy Series.”

Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most interesting kind of reading.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS

TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE

TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER

TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON

TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP

TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL

TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT

TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER

TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS

TOM SWIFT CIRCLING THE GLOBE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS TALKING PICTURES

TOM SWIFT AND HIS HOUSE ON WHEELS

TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG DIRIGIBLE

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY TRAIN

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT MAGNET

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

THE DON STURDY SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

Author of “The Tom Swift Series”

Every red-blooded boy will enjoy the thrilling adventures of Don Sturdy. In company with his uncles, one a big game hunter, the other a noted scientist, he travels far and wide—into the jungles of South America, across the Sahara, deep into the African jungle, up where the Alaskan volcanoes spout, down among the head hunters of Borneo and many other places where there is danger and excitement. Every boy who has known Tom Swift will at once become the boon companion of daring Don Sturdy.

DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY

DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS

DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD

DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE

DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES

DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS

DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS

DON STURDY CAPTURED BY HEAD HUNTERS

DON STURDY IN LION LAND

DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF GIANTS

DON STURDY ON THE OCEAN BOTTOM

DON STURDY IN THE TEMPLES OF FEAR

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES

By FRANKLIN W. DIXON

Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself.

No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of the skies.

OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS; or, Ted Scott’s Daring Long Distance Flight.

RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS; or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air.

OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL; or, Ted Scott, Lost in the Wilderness.

FIRST STOP HONOLULU; or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific.

THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS; or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies.

SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE; or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC; or, Ted Scott’s Hop to Australia.

THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER; or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers.

FLYING AGAINST TIME; or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record.

OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS; or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers.

LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE; or, Ted Scott in Blizzard Land.

THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA; or, Ted Scott’s Search in Nugget Valley.

FLYING TO THE RESCUE; or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible.

DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY; or, Ted Scott’s Great Mountain Climb.

FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW; or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

GREAT SPORT STORIES

For Every Sport Season

By HAROLD M. SHERMAN

Here’s an author who knows his sports from having played them. Baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, track—they’re all the same to Harold M. Sherman. He puts the most thrilling moments of these sports into his tales. Mr. Sherman is today’s most popular writer of sport stories—all of which are crowded with action, suspense and clean, vigorous fun.

The Home Run Series

Bases Full!

Hit by Pitcher

Safe!

Hit and Run

Double Play

Batter Up!

The Basketball Series

Mayfield’s Fighting Five

Get ’Em Mayfield

Shoot That Ball!

The Gridiron Series

Goal to Go

Hold That Line!

Touchdown

Block That Kick!

One Minute to Play

Fight ’Em, Big Three

The Ice Hockey Series

Flashing Steel

Flying Heels

Slashing Sticks

Other Stories of Sport and Adventure

The Land of Monsters

Beyond the Dog’s Nose

Cameron McBain, Backwoodsman

Ding Palmer, Air Detective

Don Rader, Trail Blazer

No. 44

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

THE REX LEE FLYING STORIES

By THOMSON BURTIS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

The author of this series of exciting flying stories is an experienced aviator. He says, “During my five years in the army I performed nearly every sort of flying duty—instructor, test pilot, bombing, photographing pilot, etc., in every variety of ship, from tiny scout planes to the gigantic three-motored Italian Caproni.”

Not only has this author had many experiences as a flyer; a list of his activities while knocking around the country includes postal clerk, hobo, actor, writer, mutton chop salesman, preacher, roughneck in the oil fields, newspaper man, flyer, scenario writer in Hollywood and synthetic clown with the Sells Floto Circus. Having lived an active, daring life, and possessing a gift for good story telling, he is well qualified to write these adventures of a red-blooded dare-devil young American who became one of the country’s greatest flyers.

REX LEE; GYPSY FLYER

REX LEE; ON THE BORDER PATROL

REX LEE; RANGER OF THE SKY

REX LEE; SKY TRAILER

REX LEE; ACE OF THE AIR MAIL

REX LEE; NIGHT FLYER

REX LEE’S MYSTERIOUS FLIGHT

REX LEE; ROUGH RIDER OF THE AIR

REX LEE; AERIAL ACROBAT

REX LEE; TRAILING AIR BANDITS

REX LEE; FLYING DETECTIVE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS

By JAMES CODY FERRIS

Each Volume Complete in Itself.

Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for boys but which will be read by all who love mystery, rapid action, and adventures in the great open spaces.

The Manly boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of an old ranchman, the owner of many thousands of heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, how to shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any and all circumstances.

The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cowboys, on the job when required, but full of fun and daring—a bunch any reader will be delighted to know.

THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH

THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON

THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER

THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL

THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP

THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP

THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER’S GAP

THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS

THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES

THE X BAR X BOYS RIDING FOR LIFE

THE X BAR X BOYS IN SMOKY VALLEY

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

FLYING STORIES FOR BOYS

IN THE AIR WITH ANDY LANE

By EUSTACE L. ADAMS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Mr. Adams, the author of this flying series for boys is an experienced aviator and has had many thrilling adventures in the air—both as a member of the famous Lafayette Escadrille in the World War and in the United States Naval Aviation Service flying with the squadrons patrolling the Atlantic Coast. His stories reveal not only his ability to tell daring and exciting air episodes but also his first hand knowledge of modern aeroplanes and the marvelous technical improvements which have been made in the past few years. Andy Lane flies the latest and most highly developed machines in the field of aviation.

FIFTEEN DAYS IN THE AIR

OVER THE POLAR ICE

RACING ’ROUND THE WORLD

THE RUNAWAY AIRSHIP

PIRATES OF THE AIR

ON THE WINGS OF FLAME

THE MYSTERIOUS MONOPLANE

THE FLYING WINDMILL

THE PLANE WITHOUT A PILOT

WINGS OF ADVENTURE

ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD

PRISONERS OF THE CLOUDS

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK