1540." "It is the plate belonging to his coffin," said Henry, "and now our search is fruitless." "It is so, indeed," exclaimed George, "for how can we tell to which of the coffins that have lost the plates this one really belongs ?" "I should not be so hopeless," said Marchdale.

"I have, from time to time, in the pursuit of antiquarian lore, which I was once fond of, entered many vaults, and I have always observed that an inner coffin of metal was sound and good, while the outer one of wood had rotted away, and yielded at once to the touch of the first hand that was laid upon it." "But, admitting that to be the case," said Henry, "how does that assist us in the identification of a coffin ?" "I have always, in my experience, found the name and rank of the deceased engraved upon the lid of the inner coffin, as well as being set forth in a much more perishable manner on the plate which was secured to the outer one." "He is right," said Mr.Chillingworth.

"I wonder we never thought of that.

If your ancestor was buried in a leaden coffin, there will be no difficulty in finding which it is." Henry seized the light, and proceeding to one of the coffins, which seemed to be a mass of decay, he pulled away some of the rotted wood work, and then suddenly exclaimed,-- "You are quite right.

Here is a firm strong leaden coffin within, which, although quite black, does not otherwise appear to have suffered." "What is the inscription on that ?" said George.
With difficulty the name on the lid was deciphered, but it was found not to be the coffin of him whom they sought.
"We can make short work of this," said Marchdale, "by only examining those leaden coffins which have lost the plates from off their outer cases.