"Is it guineas ye're speaking about?" asked Moya. "Perhaps 'twas a
guinea young Vladdy the Russian found this morning. He said he found a
'shiny thing.' I thought 'twas one of thim cartridges, like I found
myself."
"Another shiny thing? What did he do with it? Let's see it?" demanded
Mr. Emerson.
"He said he gave it to a man in the road and the man gave him a handful
of ten-cent pieces and nickels. There was forty cents of it. I heard
Mrs. Vereshchagin counting 'em."
"Forty cents! It must have been a valuable shiny thing that a man in
the road would give a child forty cents for. He knew its value. I
should say Vladimir and Elisabeth had tapped the same till. Helen, go
and see if you can find out anything more from the child or his mother.
And Roger, get a chisel and hammer and hatchet and perhaps you and Mr.
Schuler and I can take down these boards and see what there is to see
behind them."
"Wouldn't it be thrilling if there should be a hidden treasure!"
exclaimed Ethel Blue. "Aren't you shivering all over with excitement,
Miss Gertrude?"
Meanwhile Roger and his grandfather were prying off the boards that
covered in the chimney on the right side and supported the
mantel-shelf.
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