Alfred had indicated for the sailor conducting the inventory with him to open it, but the man was having no luck. Feeling a little exasperated (what could be so hard about opening a chest?), Alfred approached it himself — only to feel quite sheepish when he realized that he was having the same problem. There was nothing to hold on to, and it was too smooth to get a good grip on otherwise... and maybe particularly heavy? It was hard to tell, from this perspective.

Unwilling to be defeated by a piece of cargo, Alfred removed the knife from a holster on his belt and slid it into the opening at the front of the chest. "If this doesn't work, we'll get a crowbar," he told the sailor still lingering nearby.