There was a wooden box, swollen with the wet sea-water in which it had lain for years.
There were two or three things that looked like old, pulpy books.
There was some sort of glass drinking-vessel, cracked in half— and two or three funny objects so spoilt by sea-water that no one could possibly say what they were.
"Nothing very interesting— except the box," said Julian, and he picked it up.
"Anyway, I expect that whatever is inside is ruined.
But we may as well try and open it."
He and George tried their best to force the lock of the old wooden box. On the top of it were stamped initials—H.J. K. "I expect those were the captain's initials," said Dick.
"No, they were the initials of my great-great-greatgrandfather!" said George, her eyes shining suddenly.
"I've heard all about him.
His name was Henry John Kirrin.
This was his ship, you know.
This must have been his very-private box in which he kept his old papers or diaries.
Oh,we simply must open it!"
But it was quite impossible to force the lid up with the tools they had there.
They soon gave it up, and Julian picked up the box to carry it to the boat.
"We'll open it at home," he said, his voice sounding rather excited.
"We'll get a hammer or something, and get it open somehow.
Oh, George— this really is a find!"
They all of them felt that they really had something mysterious in their possession.
Was there anything inside the box— and if so, what would it be?
They longed to get home and open it! They went up on deck, climbing the old iron ladder.
As soon as they got there they saw that others besides themselves had discovered that the wreck had been thrown up from the bottom of the sea!
"Golly! Half the fishing-smacks of the bay have discovered it!" cried Julian, looking round at the fishing-boats that had come as near as they dared to the wreck. The fishermen were looking at the wreck in wonder. When they saw the children on board they halloo-ed loudly. "Ahoy there! What's that ship?" "It's the old wreck!" yelled back Julian.
"She was thrown up yesterday in the storm!"
"Don't say any more," said George, frowning.
"It's my wreck.
I don't want sightseers on it!"
So no more was said, and the four children got into their boat and rowed home as fast as they could.
It was past their breakfast-time. They might get a good scolding.
They might even be sent to bed by George's fierce father— but what did they care?
They had explored the wreck—and had come away with a box which might contain—well, if not bars of gold, one small bar, perhaps!
They did get a scolding. They had to go without half their breakfast, too, because Uncle Quentin said that children who came in so late didn't deserve hot bacon and eggs— only toast and marmalade.
It was very sad.
They hid the box under the bed in the boys' room.
Tim had been left with the fisher-boy— or rather, had been tied up in his back yard, for Alf had gone out fishing, and was even now gazing from his father's boat at the strange wreck.
"We can make a bit of money taking sightseers out to this wreck," said Alf.
And before the day was out scores of interested people had seen the old wreck from the decks of motor-boats and fishing-smacks.
George was furious about it. But she couldn't do anything.
After all, as Julian said, anybody could have a look!
Chapter Nine THE BOX FROM THE WRECK
THE first thing that the children did after breakfast was to fetch the precious box and take it out to the tool-shed in the garden.
They were simply longing to force it open.
All of them secretly felt certain that it would hold treasure of some sort.
Julian looked round for a tool. He found a chisel and decided that would be just the thing to force the box open.
He tried, but the tool slipped and jabbed his fingers.
Then he tried other things, but the box obstinately refused to open.
The children stared at it crossly.
"I know what to do," said Anne at last.
"Let's take it to the top of the house and throw it down to the ground.
It would burst open then, I expect."