They walked slowly up the overgrown path between the two broken-down walls, their feet making no sound on the soft mossy ground. They came to the doorway and dragged the bundle into the kitchen.

“Go and light the candles in the cellar room,” said Julian to George. “I just want to make sure that that couple are not snooping anywhere about.”

George and Anne went to light the candles, flashing their torches before them down the stone steps. Julian and Dick stood at the open doorway, facing the moonlight, listening intently. Not a sound was to be heard, not a shadow moved!

They set Timmy on guard and left him there, dragging the dripping, heavy bundle across the stone floor of the kitchen. They bumped it down the cellar steps - and at last had it before them, ready to be opened!

Julian’s fingers fumbled at the knots of the rope. George couldn’t bear waiting. She took a pocket-knife and handed it to Julian.

“For goodness’ sake, cut the rope!” she said. “I simply can’t wait another moment.”

Julian grinned. He cut the rope - and then he looked to see how to undo the waterproof wrapping.

“I see,” he said. “It’s been folded over and over the goods, and then sewn up to make a kind of bag. It must have kept the loot absolutely waterproof.”

“Buck up!” said George. “I shall tear it open myself in a minute!”

Julian cut the strong stitches that closed the covering. They began to unwrap the bundle. There seemed to be yards and yards of waterproof covering! But at last it was off - and there, in the middle of the mass of waterproof, were scores of little boxes - leather-covered boxes that everyone knew at once were jewel-boxes!

’It is jewellery then!’ said Anne, and she opened a box, They all exclaimed in wonder.

A magnificent necklace glittered on black velvet. It shone and glinted and sparkled in the candlelight as if it were on fire. Even the two boys gazed without a word. Why - it was fit for a queen!

“It must be that wonderful necklace stolen from the Queen of Fallonia,” said George at last. “I saw a picture of it in the papers. What diamonds!”

“Ooh - are they diamonds!” said Anne, in awe. “Oh Julian - what a lot of money they must be worth! A hundred pounds, do you think?”

“A hundred thousand pounds more likely, Anne,” said Julian, soberly. “My word - no wonder the Nailer hid these stolen goods carefully, in such an ingenious place. No wonder Maggie and Dirty Dick were longing to find them. Let’s see what else there is.”

Every box contained precious stones of some kind - sapphire bracelets, ruby and diamond rings, a strange and wonderful opal necklace, ear-rings of such enormous diamonds that Anne was quite sure no one would be able to bear the weight of them!