“That’s just it again!” emphatically assented Will.  “I declare, John, you surprise me!  And now, we must have everything all ready so that the minute they leave we can get busy.  Let’s see, what’ll we need?  A screw-driver—­and will we need a hammer?”

“We’ll need a real sharp knife to cut the tobacco,” John suggested.

“I’ll get the things ready,” Charley volunteered; and so they planned and waited for the time to come when they could carry out their scheme.

The time came on the following Saturday.  Early in the morning the uncle and aunt drove away in the “buckboard,” and were on their way to the city where they were to do their trading.  All three of the boys had been unusually anxious to help their elders get started, forgetting in their eagerness that they might be thus revealing some of their plans.  Scarcely did they give the uncle and aunt time to disappear in the distance before they had commenced their evil work.

“Here’s the tools,” Charley said, as he brought forth the screw-driver, hammer, and sharp knife.  “Where shall I put them?”

“Oh, anywhere so they’ll be handy!” Will told him; and then the three boys hastened to the room containing the chest and were soon kneeling on the floor, examining carefully the object of their interest.

The chest, a long, narrow, flat box somewhat darkened with age, was closed and securely fastened; and the tiny padlock that hung from its side seemed to say, “If you please, I am here to protect my master’s property from the hand of any thieves; and to the extent that it is within my power, I shall perform my duty.”  Its bold front and defiant appearance did not, however, daunt the purpose of the boys.  After giving it a brief examination, they slipped around to the opposite side of the chest, and by the aid of the screw-driver, removed the lower half of the rusty hinges.

“Thank goodness, this chest is old!” Will exclaimed as he brushed from his forehead the large beads of perspiration.  “If these screws turned any harder, I never could get them out.  Guess we’ll earn our tobacco this time all right!”

[Illustration:  Opening the Chest]

Scarcely had the last screw been removed when up came the lid; and almost instantly three pairs of eager eyes were greedily gazing down upon the contents of the wooden chest.  There were in it a package of old letters, various articles of clothing, a few trinkets, etc.; but only that part of the contents that was carefully packed in one corner claimed the attention of the boys.  This, a pile of long brown strips, or plugs, of tobacco, was what they wanted; and soon Will was busily engaged in cutting a narrow slice from each plug and John and Charley were dividing the slices into three equal parts.  But in their haste and excitement, none of the boys forgot to fill their mouths with the filthy stuff, and to chew while they worked.