It was locked, but Jim had it open in an instant.

It was half full of gold pieces.
Neither of us had ever seen so much before--no, nor a tenth part of it.
There must have been hundreds of them, all bright new British sovereigns.

Indeed, so taken up were we that we had forgotten all about their owner until a groan took our thoughts back to him.

His lips were bluer than ever, and his jaw had dropped.

I can see his open mouth now, with its row of white wolfish teeth.
"My God, he's off!" cried Jim.