"Now the other," said the professor in a faint voice, "I can hardly believe my eyes."
"It does seem incredible," commented the major.
The contents of the other chest, which was speedily opened, proved to be of the same nature as that of the second one rifled. On the interior of the lid, however, there had been a secret chamber. The spring of this, rotten with age, gave way as the cover was lifted. A niagara of coins of all nations, Spanish doubloons, French crowns, English Rose nobles and florins, and queerly-marked Oriental wealth, flowed out.
"What should you think was the value of all this, professor?" asked the major when he recovered his voice.
"At least two million dollars," was the rejoinder in tones the man of science tried in vain to render steady.
"I'd give half of it now if we could get out of here," said the major.
"Why, while we've been standing here I've noticed a draught. Look at the lantern flames flicker in it. It comes from further down the passage. We might explore it, anyway."
"I think so, too," said the major, and followed by the others, still dazed by the sight of the hoarded fortune, he struck out into the darkness. For some distance the passage into which he had plunged was level. Then his feet encountered rough steps. Calling to the others to follow him the major mounted them.
Up and up they climbed, the wind blowing more freshly in their faces every instant. All at once, without any warning, the major emerged into the open air. He looked about him amazed. The others, as they joined him, heard his astonishment. They seemed to be on the summit of a small island in the midst of a sea of woods.
Gazing over the edge, they soon ascertained that they were at the summit of a high cone-shaped mass of rocks. The sides were steep as church walls, and offered no foothold.
All at once the explanation burst upon the major. "We are at the summit of Ruby Glow!" he cried.
Astonishing as it appeared, this was the truth. The professor regarded it as a proof of his theory that the place had been used as an Indian watch tower.
"I know now what puzzled me before," he said, "and that was the manner in which they gained the summit of the cone."
"But that doesn't help us to get down," said Merritt, "it looks as if we are as badly off as before."