That ain t no bad notion, Tom! said Huck with animation.
Tom s real Barlow was out at once, and he had not dug four inches
before he struck wood.
Hey, Huck! you hear that?
Huck began to dig and scratch now. Some boards were soon uncovered and
removed. They had concealed a natural chasm which led under the rock.
Tom got into this and held his candle as far under the rock as he
could, but said he could not see to the end of the rift. He proposed
to explore. He stooped and passed under; the narrow way descended
gradually. He followed its winding course, first to the right, then to
the left, Huck at his heels. Tom turned a short curve, by-and-by, and
exclaimed:
My goodness, Huck, lookyhere!
It was the treasure-box, sure enough, occupying a snug little cavern,
along with an empty powder-keg, a couple of guns in leather cases, two
or three pairs of old moccasins, a leather belt, and some other rubbish
well soaked with the water-drip.
Got it at last! said Huck, ploughing among the tarnished coins with
his hand. My, but we re rich, Tom!
Huck, I always reckoned we d get it. It s just too good to believe, but
we _have_ got it, sure! Say let s not fool around here. Let s snake it
out. Lemme see if I can lift the box.
It weighed about fifty pounds. Tom could lift it, after an awkward
fashion, but could not carry it conveniently.
I thought so, he said; _They_ carried it like it was heavy, that day
at the ha nted house. I noticed that. I reckon I was right to think of
fetching the little bags along.
The money was soon in the bags and the boys took it up to the cross
rock.
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