"Then listen, boys," said Frank, pulling a paper from his pocket, and holding it up to the lantern on the box--it was a copy of a portion of the contents of the parchment--"this will tell us what to do." He read as follows: "Descend to the cellar. Measure ten feet from the north chimney, then five due west. Here a flat stone will be found, beneath which the treasure lies. It is for my grandson if he be found worthy, for my friend, Elijah Callister, if he is not. If it shall fall into the hands of Frank Mansfield, let him so dispose of it as to shed luster upon the name he bears. "JEREMIAH MANSFIELD. "THREE OAKS, January 1, 1879." "Now for it, boys!" he exclaimed, excitedly. "This is the cellar, and we are here ready to work. Barney, the tape-line. Lay over to that chimney, now, while I run out ten feet." The distance was measured off and marked upon the cellar floor. "Now, then, five feet to the west. That's the idea! By gracious! here's the flat stone just as the paper says!" It was as Frank had said. Buried in the earth which composed the cellar floor a flat stone of a grayish color was discovered, above which all now stood. "The spades, Barney and Sandy!" cried Frank, seizing the pick-ax himself. "Hold the light, Garibaldi, that we may see what we are about. Make what noise you like, boys, there's no one to hear us--this house has been deserted for years." He struck the ground with the pick-ax as he spoke, the sound echoing upon the rafters of the floor above. The earth once loosened, Barney and Sandy made short work of it with their spades. It was of a light and sandy character, and yielded so readily to their efforts that Frank, finding the pick-ax useless, soon threw it to one side, and taking the spade from the hands of Sandy, joined Barney in the hole, now rapidly deepening. Both boys had removed their coats, and were working with a will. Around them the little mound of earth thrown out by their spades steadily grew, until a depth of four feet or more was reached. And yet, they had found nothing. Nor was there any appearance that the earth had been ever disturbed. "By thunder, but this is tough work!" growled Barney, straightening himself up. "How much further do you think we've got to go?" "It is impossible to tell," answered Frank, working away vigorously. "It may be one foot, it may be ten---- By gracious! here's something now. I've just struck it with my spade." A sharp, ringing sound was heard. The spade had struck something of a metallic nature at the bottom of the hole. "I've found it, boys," he cried, in great excitement, stooping down and with his hands brushing back the loose earth from the lid of a great iron chest at the bottom of the hole. "The treasure is mine--mine at last! Let that wretched Callister now beware!"