“Drop down the lantern,” called Dick, and Captain Barforth did so.  With the lantern lit Dick crawled into the side opening and his brothers followed.

“This is certainly a cave,” said Tom.  “But whether it is the right one or not remains to be seen.”

“It must be a part of the original cave, Tom,” answered Dick.  “Because it is in the spot covered by the other.  But it may not be the part that contained the treasure.”

They crawled around, over the rough rocks and fallen dirt.  It was a dangerous proceeding, for they did not know but what some stones might fall at any moment and crush them.

Suddenly Tom and Sam uttered the single exclamation: 

“Look!”

Dick looked and then he, too, gave a cry.  From under the edge of a rock they saw one end of a heavy wooden chest.  A part of the side was split away and through the hole they saw a quantity of gold money!

CHAPTER XXX

HOMEWARD BOUND—­CONCLUSION

“The, treasure!”

The boys uttered the cry together and it thrilled those at the top of the opening as nothing else could have done.

“What’s that?” cried Mr. Rover.

“We have found one of the chests,” answered Dick.

“And it’s full of gold pieces!” added Sam and Tom in a breath.

“Then this is the treasure cave after all,” said Captain Barforth.  “I must say you are in luck.”

“I’d like to go down and have a look,” put in Songbird eagerly.

All wanted to look, and in the end they came down one after another by way of the rope.  The rock on the chest was lifted away and the strong box was dragged forth into the light.  Sure enough, it was filled with gold, just as Bahama Bill had said it would be.

“Bahama Bill said there were three chests,” said Mr. Rover, after the excitement of finding so much wealth had somewhat subsided.  “Do you see anything of the other two?”

“Not yet—­but they must be somewhere near,” answered his oldest son.

Regardless of the danger of falling rocks, they commenced to dig around where the chest had been uncovered.  They soon found a second chest, which contained more gold in leather bags, and also a quantity of jewelry and precious stones.  Then, when they were almost ready to give up work for the day, they discovered the third chest, smashed flat under two heavy rocks, with its contents of gold scattered in all directions.

“We’ll have to blow up those rocks to get all that gold,” said Sam.

“Don’t do that,” warned Captain Barforth.  “If you do you may cave in the whole roof and then the gold may be gone forever.”

It was then decided to bring down the log, and pry the rocks away, and late as it was this was done, and they scooped up the loose golden pieces and put them in their pockets.

“It’s a fine lot o’ money,” was the comment of Hollbrook, the sailor.  “Wish some o’ it was mine.”