"If you want to give up you can sit down here and wait for me," said John resolutely; "I'm going to keep this thing up until I strike oil or gold." Both boys earnestly renewed their search, but their efforts in the rapidly passing minutes were still unrewarded. "There isn't anything here," muttered Fred. "We've looked high and low. Mr. Button didn't know what he was talking about." John made no response to the declaration of his discouraged companion and perhaps abashed somewhat by the zeal of John, again joined in the search. "Have you looked in that piano-box?" inquired John at last. "Yes, but there isn't anything but a little meal in the bottom. It isn't deep enough to cover a box of matches." "We'll look again anyway," said John as he lifted the cover and glanced within the high box. He was about to drop the cover when once more he hesitated. Leaning over the edge he thrust his long arms down into the meal below him. In one corner of the box his fingers came in contact with an object which instantly aroused his keenest interest. A moment later he brought out a small wooden box, discolored, heavy and apparently of no value. He speedily discovered, however, that the top of the box was fastened by a small and strong pad-lock. Holding his discovery aloft John quickly turned to Fred and said, "Do you see what I've found?" "What is it? What is it?" whispered Fred as he ran to join his friend. "It's a box." "So I see, but how much does that mean?" "I don't know how much it means," retorted John, "but I do know that it is a wooden box, that it's about six inches square and that it is heavy--" "Yes, to look at it," broke in Fred; "it's old and looks as if it had been left out in the weather. Even if it is locked I don't believe that there's anything of any value in it." "That isn't what troubles me," said John quietly. "What do you mean?" "Why, I mean this box is hidden here. I don't know as we have any right to take it. I wonder too if Mr. Button is really what he says he is. Suppose we take this box away with us and then somebody arrests us for stealing? What's to hinder?" "That's nothing to hinder," said Fred, "but we'll take the box with us just the same." Each of the boys was confident whenever his companion became fearful or discouraged. "We'll say no more about it," said John as his turned toward the open slide by which they had entered the building. "Don't show it to Mr. Button when that woman in there can see you," suggested Fred. "Thank you," laughed John. "I'll try to heed your advice, kind sir." Abruptly, however, both boys halted and neither made any effort to depart while they both were listening intently to sounds which they heard outside the building. "Pull back the slide! Pull back the slide!" whispered Fred, now plainly alarmed. "The Jap is coming and he's got those two big dogs with him, too. I don't know what will happen to us now."