“Sure.” “That’s what they used to call nitric acid, it means strong water. It’s Latin,” Rogers explained. “Funny how he happened to have it with him,” Bill declared. “That’s what I thought,” Rogers agreed. “‘And it didn’t dissolve it a bit,’” he continued to read. “‘Maybe it’s some new kind of metal, Jim thought it was but I don’t know.’” “There seems to have been a break here but there’s another line. “‘I see a ship and it’s coming this way. Maybe I’ll see the folks again after all.’” “Is that all?” Bill asked as he stopped reading. “That’s all except for a map on the other side of the paper which shows where they hid the stuff.” “That stuff was platinum,” Bill declared. “I think you’re right,” Rogers told him. “And a hundred pounds,” Gordon gasped. “How much would that be worth?” “About a hundred and forty thousand dollars,” Rogers told him. “Is there any name signed to the letter?” Bill asked. “It’s signed Sol Rogers.” “Then he must have been one of your ancestors,” Gordon declared. “He was,” Rogers told them. “He was my grandfather about six times removed. In his day he was a pretty well known whale hunter and, according to the records, he was some man.” “But how do you suppose that letter ever got in that trunk?” Bill asked. “You know as much about it as I do. He was lost at sea and I don’t know whether it was on that voyage or not.” “Probably it wasn’t,” Gordon said. “If it had been I don’t see how that letter ever got ashore.” “I imagine you’re right. But take a look at the map and tell me what you make of it.” He spread the paper out on a small table and all three bent over it. It was rather faint but very well drawn and, after a short inspection, Bill said: “Looks like the Hawaiian Islands to me, and this larger map over on this side seems to be an enlargement of Molokai.” “I think there’s little doubt about it,” Rogers told them. “The old fellow must have been up on his geography because I’ve compared it with a modern map and it matches almost perfectly.” “And you think the platinum, or whatever it was, is still there?” Gordon asked. “That’s hard to say. What would you guess?” Rogers smiled. “Seems to me he’d have taken it with him if he was rescued,” Bill gave as his opinion. “At first thought it would seem so,” Rogers said. “But when you come to think of it it doesn’t seem so likely, or at least it doesn’t to me. In the first place he wasn’t sure it was any good and then the ships of that time usually carried a pretty tough crew and he might have been afraid to take it on board. No, I think he left it there hoping to come after it some other time if he found out it was worth it. Probably he took a sample with him.” “And perhaps he went back and got it,” Gordon suggested. “I hardly think so or it would have been mentioned in the family history. I looked and there was no word about it. My candid opinion is that he never got back home.” “Then how did the letter get in that trunk.” Gordon asked.