The fact that the boxes yielded nothing excited Sheldon's suspicions, and he gave orders to dig up the earthen floor.

Wrapped in matting, well oiled, free from rust, and brand new, two Winchesters were first unearthed.

Sheldon did not recognize them.

They had not come from Berande; neither had the forty flasks of black powder found under the corner-post of the house; and while he could not be sure, he could remember no loss of eight boxes of detonators.

A big Colt's revolver he recognized as Hughie Drummond's; while Joan identified a thirty-two Ivor and Johnson as a loss reported by Matapuu the first week he landed at Berande.