A Box of Treasures.

"We're gonna saddle up early today" my brother said at breakfast. We're going back to that old cave by Craiger's land. Spend the night out there tonight. Jim's coming and we're going to explore.

"I"m going with!" I said. Mom looked at us both with her I better pack you some decent food look.

Jim arrived about six am. Mom handed him a fresh cup of coffee.

"Thanks Mrs. H”, he said graciously taking the coffee,

"Breakfast?" she asked him.

"Cindy made sure I ate this morning." he said. " She wanted to make sure you know she takes good care of me."

"Well you tell Cindy I said you are a lucky man!" She grabbed both Jim's shoulders and smiled at him before turning into the kitchen.

"Have you been?" asked Jim following my mom into the kitchen.

"Well, no, not to the back caves." she said, "My father forbid us to go that far and over time I just forgot about them." "I bet Grandpa and Dad know about them."

"Grandpa?" I went into the living room where he was sitting watching his morning news show, drinking his coffee. "I have to repair a couple of saddles today. he said. "The strap is wearing out on my old Texas Star and I got to repair the seat on the Stubben. I better have a look at all the saddles. I should look at the halters too." He thought out loud, taking a sip of his coffee. "Get a final count before I order the new ones."

"Me, Bob and Jim are going to a cave about a ten mile ride from here. You know about it?" I asked him. He had grown up on this property along with my dad.

His eye's lit up! "You mean The old Miller fort! That cave was used during the civil war, and by the Indians and then by those Millers. We used to find all kinds of stuff in there! Stopped going when I married your grandmother." he said.

"You can come with us today." I offered.

"Not today," he sighed. "These old bones say no riding today, and I'm gonna respect that!" "You can go pretty deep back in there. There are a couple twists and turns can get you lost. We marked the walls but I don't reckon the markings are still there." "Make sure you boys bring extra flashlights, and mark the walls."

"We're camping out there. Just for tonight. If were not back by sunset tomorrow, ...," I said sort of joking. "We'll be back," I said, and I wrapped my arms around my grandpa from behind and kissed him on the cheek.

We got our bed rolls and packs loaded and were ready to ride by seven thirty. It was gonna take about four to five hours just to get to the cave. We would stop about half way, at the river, let the horses rest and then head on from there.

The cave was hidden. You had to know where to find it. "I havent been here since we were ten!" I said. "We did that over night camp with the boyscouts, with dad. Remember?"

"Yea" my brother said. "I've been out here a couple times but I only get so far. I thought I should have a buddy for the serious exploring." "That's why I brought you pain in the asses." He said and lovingly slapped me across the back of my head. I slapped him back and Jim walked over and slapped us both. We slapped him back as well.

We settled the horses in a grassy area and filled up small buckets with water for them and tied the buckets to the trees. Then we set up our camp. We decided we would go in today and see how far we can get in a couple hours. "Don't tell dad but I brought a watch," my brother said, pulling out his watch. " I figure, we will go in for two hours and then turn around. This way we can be out by night fall." I punched him on his arm and smiled. "We'll wake up early and go in again tomorrow four hours each way."

"Sounds like a plan." Jim said getting his equipment together and laying it on the ground for a visual. This is what we'd do to make sure we knew what we had. Me and Bob laid our equipment out as well.

" Two flashlights, batteries, water, knife, rope, small pick/hammer, a couple nails, hand shovel, bandana's, empty sack, tissues, candy bars, beef jerky, matches, paper, pen and jacket" My brother said pointing to each item while reading from a list he had made a long time ago and used every adventure.

"Load up!" He said.

"Going spelunking!" I said and we headed in.

The cave was tucked into the side of a mountain, covered in ferns and fallen tree branches. If you weren't looking you wouldn't see it. The opening was about five foot by five foot once you pulled the debrie away. It smells damp and fresh and green at the entrance. There was water dripping down the wall on the left as you entered and you could hear water dripping further in.

There are many stories about this cave. The Iroquois who lived in these parts used this cave as a hide out when the English came through. There are some artifacts at our house from the Iroquois. Most of the stuff we'd find we would donate to the local museum. But we kept a few things at the house as well. A few arrow heads, a small woven basket, a pair of moccasin's my grand dad had framed to keep preserved.

The cave was also used by the infamous Miller brother's who were a band of theives in the early 18oo's. There was a bounty on their heads and they were all hung in Calvern City when one made the mistake of sleeping with the sherriff's daughter. The other's came to break the one brother out of jail but instead were all caught and hanged.

The cave has been explored and looted. Most things were already taken over a century ago but there is still hidden treasures. You can still find a miscellaneous old bottle or coin or something better.

Cravy Miller, Jesiah Miller, Chad Miller, Davey Miller were carved into the cave wall after you walked in about ten minutes and entered the great hall. This was a large room with a fire pit in the center. There were other names on the wall as well. My family names were there. Leopold + Saralee Higgins. That was my great grandfather and his wife. They adopted my grandfather. His name was there too. Robert Higgins. And my dad's name, Robert Leopold Higgens and then my brother Bob's name, Robert Leopold Higgens II. My brother had carved my name under his, Brian, and mom's name, "Linda +" in front of my dad's name. I punched him affectionately when I saw my name.

We made fresh marks in the wall as we went through as to not get lost coming back out. There were places you had to squeeze through and places you had to climb or jump. If my brother wasnt with me I would have stayed in the main hall.

We came around a bend about an hour in where we couldnt decide if we should go straight or up and to the left. We decided on the left. Jim noticed a place set high in to the side of the wall where stones have been piled up. Being the tallest, and Bob being the biggest, Bob got on all fours and Jim stood on his back and carefully handed me stones. "Ow ow ouch!" exclaimed Bob when about six rocks fell and hit him on his side and butt, one smashing directly on his fingers. He stood up suddenly and Jim tumbled to the ground.

"There is definately something in there." Jim said.

"Are you alright bro?" I asked my brother who was squeezing his hand making painful faces. He's stop to look at his side which had a large scrape along it.

"Dam that hurt!" said Bob. "I'm ok. Just in great pain." He laughed and cried at the same time.

"Do you want to head back?" I asked.

"Not till we see what is up there!" he smiled.

"OK,I'll get down on the ground and you reach," Jim said to me as he got on all fours.

I put my gloves on. I could barely reach. I pulled a couple more rocks out and said, "what if there are snakes in there?"

"Get down and let me look." Bob said. I got down and he stood on Jim's back, moaning out loud as he steadied himself. Jim howled smiling and saying he deserved this.

Bob shined his flashlight into the space where we removed the rocks. "There is something in there. Maybe a chest or box or something. He leaned on the wall and I steadied him. Bob reached in and pulled out a very old box made of metal. It weighed only five pounds or less. "Score!" he said pulling it out along with sand falling on to Jim. "Pass it down." I said.

The box was about one foot by two foot. It looked like an old military box for amunition. On the lid was written DANGER, in large letters. The lid was stuck and though there was no lock on it we could not get it open. We decided we had enough adventure for one day and headed out to our camp with the box.

We got out of the cave as dusk was coming on. First we fed the horses some grain and then we carefully pried the box open. Inside the first box was another box, a cigar box wrapped in brown paper and tied with a ribbon. As we pulled it out the paper and ribbon disinigrated.

"What do you think is in there?" I asked.

"A gun?" said Jim

"Or gold!" said Bob.

"What if it blows up or a snake comes out?" I asked.

Bob looked at me and Jim.

"Only one way to find out!" he said opening the box.

"Holy Moly!" Bob exclaimed. And he reached in and pulled out a small painted wooden horse. Then an Ace of Spade playing card. Then a dirt filled locket with pictures inside. A marble. An old broken watch on a chain. A small horseshoe and two Indian head nickels, two more marbles and a tiny book, called On the Way to the Lake by Regence Montgomery circa 1856. We all looked at each other. At the bottom of the box was an old photograph that said Leopold Higgins on the back, Sept 19th, 1900.

"We found our greatgrand fathers box!" I exclaimed. "Grandpa is going to be so excited.

"What a crazy find!" Jim said. "I cant believe I saw it! And that he was able to hide it up there!"

There was a paper rolled up with a ribbon around it. It was a note written in cursive.

"If you find this box, it belongs to me, Leopold Higgins. I am going to boarding school for the summer and I am not allowed to bring anything but my writing paper and quill. I WILL BE BACK. DO NOT TOUCH OR ELSE. Sincerly Leopold Higgins age eleven, June 20th 1901"

"Wow! A piece of our family history!" I said. "That is so cool!"

"That is really cool!" said Bob. I always wondered what he was like, he said looking at the faded and worn photo. "This must have been his parents in the locket."

"Your grandpa's not going to believe this." Jim said getting the fire going and pulling out some cans of beans to open.

"Cant wait for tomorrow." I said. "who know's what else we're gonna find!"

"That is quite a score!" said Bob and he got up and patted Jim on the back.

"Good deal, brother, good deal."

The moon was rising as we ate our beans out of the can and hotdogs on a stick. Leaning on our pack backs reminiscing about times we knew nothing about, making up stories, and feeling excited and proud to be abe to bring a piece of our own family history home.

"Great score!" Bob said.

"Yep!" said Jim poking at the small campfire we made.We set up our bed rolls and laid down looking at the vastness of the night sky.