Chapter 14 AN EXCITING NIGHT - AND A SURPRISING MORNING
Soon there came the sound of loud breathing and grunts¹, as the searchers tried to prise up the stone bythe pump. It was obviously very heavy, and very difficult to move, for it had become almost part ofthe floor itself, through the centuries!
'Drat the thing! It's tearing my hands to pieces!' said a voice. 'Lend me that jemmy, Tom - you don'tseem to be doing much good with it!'
After a lot more struggling and panting the stone was loosened. 'Up she comes!' said a voice, and upcame the stone so suddenly that it sounded as if most of those pulling at it had sat down very hard onthe floor!
The two hidden boys were beside themselves with interest and excitement. How they wished theycould go and watch! But it was impossible. They must just listen and try to make out what washappening from what the men said below them.
'Is it a well down there? Yes, it is! My, the water's pretty far down - and black as pitch too.'
There was a silence as the well was examined in the light of torches. Then an exasperated² voice, theone with the drawl, said: 'This is no secret way! Who's going to get through that water! It's just anordinary small well, and nothing else. That word can't have meant Water.'
'All right, boss. What does it mean then?' said the woman. 'I don't know. This isn't a plan, it's a riddle³!
Why couldn't Paul have made it clear where this stone slab⁴ is - he just goes and does a lot of scribbleround it - and all we can make out is that it's on this common, somewhere near here -and the secret way is behind the slab!'
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'And all we have to do is to go and look behind dozens of heavy slabs⁵!' said someone else. 'I'm fedup. We've lifted slabs in that wretched camp - we've lifted some here - and we still don't know ifwe're anywhere near the right one.'
'Shut up,' said the voice of the drawler but now the voice was sharp and angry. 'If we have to pull thiscottage down, if we have to lift every slab there is, if we have to take over that camp, I'll do it! I tellyou, this makes all the difference between wealth and poverty! Anyone who wants to back out can doso - but he'd better be careful!'
'Now boss, now boss, don't you fly off the handle!' said the woman. 'We're all in this! We'll do all yousay. Look, let's start by lifting a few more slabs. There are not so very many that are the size that Paulfigured on this plan.'

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