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184 then I suppose his light and food gave out, and he starved to death. Horrible!"

"I don't want to see any more of it," said Don, shuddering. "I guess he was an old man, otherwise he wouldn't have had those iron-rimmed spectacles. I suppose that skeleton has been here for a dozen years."

Dick was bending down over the bones, having seen something shining near one of the fleshless hands. He picked the object up and found it to be a long, flat, brass key.

"A key!" cried Robert Menden. He took the thing from the youth, and held it close to the torch. "By the queen!"

"What's up?" came in a chorus.

"See! The key is marked M. M. M. on one side!" And he pointed out the initials.

"It must belong to the treasure box!" ejaculated Dick.

"Hurrah! We're gittin' closer to dat prize!" burst out Danny, and shook his bullet-like head enthusiastically.

All examined the key with interest. It was a little rusted at one end, but still good enough to use if the cedar box was brought to light, as Dick declared.

"We are on the right trail; I feel certain of it," said Menden. "For that old Spaniard mentioned a pile of bones to me."