"Hark here!" He tapped the end of one with his knuckles, but, instead of giving forth a hollow sound, the top sounded dead and dull.
"They're not empty," he said, giving one a shake: "they must be packed full of something light.

And I say, Mike, they look as if they couldn't be many years old." "That's because the cavern's so clean and dry.

Let's look at the packages.

I say, smell this one.

There's no mistake about it--cloves!" Vince nodded, and they tried others, which gave out, some the same unmistakable odour, others those of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Further examination of some small, heavy, solid packets left little doubt in the lads' minds that they were dealing with closely folded or rolled pieces of silk, and they ended their examination by trying to interpret the brands with which some of the packages were marked.
"One can't be sure without opening them," said Vince eagerly; "but I feel certain that these are silk, the other packages spice, and the kegs have got gloves and lace in them.