"Yes, the hole is empty."
"But—but—" began old Jacob.
"The bottom of the hole slopes toward the crack," went on Dick. "I'll wager that when the flooring parted, the cedar chest fell down to the bottom of the split."
There was a murmur of relief at this. Perhaps the treasure was not lost after all.
"Let us throw a piece of torch down and see," said Bob; and his advice was speedily carried out. But the torch went down so far, its light revealed little but grotesque shadows, which might be treasure boxes or something else.
The crack in the flooring was eight to ten feet wide; but taking a run, Robert Menden cleared the distance, and aided by a rope, several others followed.
From this side, they could look into the hollow under the tablet with ease. But this gave them little satisfaction, for the opening was as empty as Dick had mentioned.
"I've a good mind to try my luck with the rope," said Robert Menden. "We brought it along for the purpose of getting down holes, you know."
"Well, we'll let ye down as carefully as possible," answered old Jacob.
A noose was made and slipped around Menden's body, under his arms. Then a smooth
