The ground was soft under my boots, and sharp branches snagged my heavy coat as I went down, making me stop and think about turning back more than once.

Then I spotted the marker.

A stubby metal post was driven firmly into the ground right beside a cluster of large boulders.

Its blue coating had faded badly, but the color was still visible under a thick layer of dirt.

I dropped to my knees beside the post to look at it closely.

There were no markings, dates, or hidden compartments on the post itself.

But buried right behind it, partly covered by fallen autumn leaves, lay a small, rusted metal box.