and--do you read Spanish, Dick! You know a number of modern languages,
more or less."

"No, not very well, but what made you ask me?" replied Percival in some
surprise. "What have you got there, Jack?"

"A letter addressed to some official in Mexico, but whether of the
provisional or rebel government I cannot make out."

"H'm! you are always picking up strange letters."

"Yes, it seems so. You are thinking of the one I found in the flying
machine. We never settled whether that was really genuine or not, Dick,
but this seems to be so. As far as I can make out it refers to a shipment
of some sort, arms or gold or--why, Dick, this wreck cannot be so old,
after all. The date of this is only that of last year and late at that."

"Then that knocks the Captain Kidd idea silly!"

"Never mind Captain Kidd. Let us see if we can open this chest. Do you
know, I am a bit nervous about staying down here too long. You said it was
uncanny, and so it is. I'll save these letters," picking up another from
the floor. "Suppose we try the chest, Dick."

"The only reason that the water did not come in through that hole forward
is that it was probably made by the rocks when she struck and this after
part is much lower. She was caught fast and could not fall back. Well,
what about the chest, can you open it?" for Jack was kneeling before it,
and trying the fastenings.