UNDER THE EARTH. 181 
highly important to the Button expedition, or even to the 
government. 
Why did the brave lieutenant hesitate to touch this 
document ? Because it was held in its place on the table 
by a forefinger that eloquently forbade meddling. Yet it 
must be taken. It was taken. 
Eichard gave a sudden start as he held it up to the 
light. The paper showed no handwriting, but faint tra- 
cings of curved lines, and odd figures like Egyptian hiero- 
glyphics. At the lower left-hand corner was a character 
like a triangle ; then a wavy line crossed by three vertical 
strokes. Just above these were three inverted K's, and 
further over to the right were three objects looking some- 
thing like sugar loaves. Various other dots and markings 
were to be seen, the most ominous of which was a plainly 
defined death's-head in the upper right-hand corner. 
I said that Richard started the moment his eye fell on 
the tracing. It looked strangely familiar to him. Then 
he remembered. 
" Peeschee's map ! " he exclaimed, aloud. " The very 
thing, line for line ! Just look here, Florence ! " 
Without noticing that she gave him no reply, he con- 
tinued his search about the room, preparatory to leaving 
it. He felt sure that this place was in some way con- 
nected with the object of their search. 
Turning from the table, his foot struck heavily against 
a box which he had not before noticed. It was a com- 
mon grocery box, and the cover was nailed down. A 
