Murray had preceded us, and under his superintendence Chisholm was beginning to open the screwed-up boxes.

The rest of us stood round while this job was going on, waiting in silence.
It was no easy or quick job, for the screws had been fastened in after a thoroughly workmanlike fashion, and when he got the first lid off we saw that the boxes themselves had been evidently specially made for this purpose.

They were of some very strong, well-seasoned wood, and they were lined, first with zinc, and then with thick felt.

And--as we were soon aware--they were filled to the brim with gold.

There it lay--roll upon roll, all carefully packed--gold! It shone red and fiery in the light of our lamps, and it seemed to me that in every gleam of it I saw devils' eyes, full of malice, and mockery, and murder.
But there was one box, lighter than the rest, in which, instead of gold, we found the valuable things of which Hollins had told Mr.Lindsey and Mr.Portlethorpe and myself when he came to us on his lying mission, only the previous midnight.