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 go on till we get the cabin emptied of sand. If we don't find anything, then we will chuck it."

Again they plied the shovels vigorously, until nothing remained within the bare walls of the rudely constructed cabin.

"That settles it," commented Tempest, at last. "Now are you satisfied, Dave?"

"I suppose so," said the boy ruefully, straightening his back and resting on his shovel. "There's nothing more to be done, is there?"

"No, I'm afraid this is the finish. Not even the message in a bottle to lure us on."

"But," Dave exclaimed, with a touch of impatience, "what the dickens can the man have done with the platinum? He couldn't eat it."

"Buried it somewhere, I guess. People generally do bury treasure, you know."

"Maybe he buried it under the floor here," said Dave, casually digging his shovel deep into the sand. There was a metallic click as the steel struck something hard.