AT Joe’s welcome declaration, the others ran over in a high state of excitement.

There, directly at their feet, was a huge chest of metal, the lid of which was pushed back. Piled up to the top were emeralds, diamonds, and a myriad of other precious stones. There were gold coins, rifles of ancient design, small silver boxes, and a hundred or more other valuable trinkets.

For several minutes no one could speak. They were too amazed at the value of the treasure. Finally Dr. Kirshner looked up.

“Thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth,” he muttered, as though he could hardly believe his eyes. “And it has all survived through the ages. In addition to the gold and precious gems, those rifles and coins will be of enormous value as relics.”

“Relics?” asked Joe.

“Yes. They date back to the Middle Ages. You see,” he went on, “the Tuaregs have always been fond of raiding caravans and cities. Whenever they see an opportunity to take possession of riches, they go out at once on a raid. The treasure in this cave was undoubtedly collected many hundreds of years ago. That is why there are guns and implements of the seventeenth century.”

“How interesting!” exclaimed Mr. Lewis. “I suppose now you are doubly glad we searched for this cave, because these relics will fit right in with your work as an archÆologist.”

A thorough search of the cave was made, and the explorers discovered many other articles of great worth.

“Now we’ll carry this stuff out to the dromedaries,” said Mr. Lewis. “It isn’t wise to leave it in here too long.”

They had brought several large burlap bags, and the treasure was divided into these. There were eight of them, each filled to capacity.

“Guess we’ll have to make two trips,” said Bob. “It’ll be too much for us to get it all out at once.”

“We won’t mind that,” smiled Mr. Lewis. “The more there is the better.”

They carried out five of the sacks and then went back for the other three. When finally everything had been taken from the cave, they rested in the shade of the rocks.

A lunch was prepared of canned food that had been taken from the supplies. All ate heartily, their eyes remaining much of the time on the bags of riches.

“We may have to have more camels to get this stuff back to Wargla,” remarked Mr. Holton. “I wonder if there is a chance of buying them from the Tuaregs?”

“Probably is,” Dr. Kirshner returned. “We’ll see when we get these riches back to camp.”

The explorers thought it best to get the bags of riches to their camp before going to the Tuareg village for camels. Despite the fact that the natives were friendly, they might have the desire to raid the American expedition for their precious find.

Camp was made several miles north of the Tuareg village. Then Bob, Dr. Kirshner, and Joe started out to the habitation.

“Do you think they’ll let us have the camels?” Joe asked, as they moved out of sight of their camp.

The archÆologist nodded.

“I’m inclined to think they will,” he said. “We’ll pay them a good price for the animals, in addition to rewarding them for helping get us out of captivity.”

At last they rode into the village, to be met by the chieftain.

Dr. Kirshner told the native that he wished several more camels, and that he would pay a good sum for them. He finished by presenting the man with a number of large coins, treasured so highly by Tuaregs. These, he said, were in return for the services of him and his people in capturing the Arabs.

The chieftain was delighted and at once said that they could have the camels. He walked out beyond the village to a large plain, where several hundred meharii, or native dromedaries, were grazing on the sparse vegetation. These were huge white animals, towering many inches above the mounts of the explorers.

The Tuareg said the Americans could have the brutes for a very nominal sum, and Dr. Kirshner at once accepted his offer. Secretly he knew he was getting a bargain.

“Now to get back to camp,” the scientist said, after bidding the tall native good-bye.

When the three Americans rode within sight of the tent, their friends were indeed surprised at sight of the large camels.

“You sure brought something back this time,” observed Mr. Lewis. “Never in my life have I seen camels of that size and strength.”

“Just what we need,” laughed Joe. “I don’t know how we could have managed without them.”

They took it easy the remainder of that day. In the evening, Dr. Kirshner called his friends together.

“I make a motion that we start back to Wargla,” he said. “You naturalists have collected scores of specimens of animals, Bob and Joe have exposed hundreds of feet of motion-picture film, and I have made numerous archÆological observations. And to cap it all, we located the hidden treasure. If there is anything else to keep us any longer, I don’t know what it is.”

“You’re right,” agreed Mr. Holton. “We should be getting back home. On the way, however, we can keep our eyes open for anything else that might interest us.”

It was decided not to leave until after a rest of two days. The explorers were greatly fatigued after the eventful week, and were content to do nothing but sit idly in the tent.

But when the morning set for their leaving arrived, they were refreshed and ready for action.

“We’ve had a big time of it here,” remarked Bob. “But somehow I’m anxious to get back home.”

After attending to last-minute preparations, the explorers got on their dromedaries and turned the animals toward the north.

It was slow traveling through the Ahaggars, with the numerous jagged rocks and peaks standing in their way. They were glad indeed when finally they reached the end of the mountain range and rode over a rocky plain.

“Now let’s make time,” said Mr. Holton. “We’ll have it comparatively easy from now on and should get to Wargla inside of a few weeks.”

“And we’re likely to have many more adventures before we again see civilization,” remarked Joe.

Notwithstanding this, the journey back to Wargla was made without important incident, except that in a region of deep ravines Mr. Lewis’s camel missed its footing and came near plunging down a twenty-foot crevice.

At Wargla the explorers remained for several days, boxing and crating their specimens and antiquities. Here Fekmah divided the treasure among himself and his friends. They begged him to take much the largest share, but he firmly refused.

“If it had not been for you Americans, I would not have had any of the hidden riches,” he told them, as they sat in the station awaiting the train to take them to the coast.

“It was Bob who did it,” said Dr. Kirshner loyally. “It was he who got us out of captivity and brought about the success of the expedition!”

THE END