Page:The Whisper on the Stair by Lyon Mearson (1924).djvu/303

 “All right, Eddie,” said Val. “Let’s go.” He motioned to the great bowlder.

The two men attempted perfunctorily to roll the rock away from the entrance, but it scarcely budged. They pushed again, with the same result. It was plain that this rock could not be moved in that perfunctory manner—they would have to go at it in earnest.

“Got that cold chisel, Eddie?” asked Val.

“Here y’are, sir,” Eddie handed him the chisel. With this Val dug away as much dirt as possible from the base of the bowlder, to give it free passage. It was imbedded in the soil to a depth of several inches. Val cleared away the soil in front.

He took off his coat, and Eddie did likewise.

“Now, Eddie,” he said. The two men advanced upon the bowlder once more.

“Let’s do it at the same moment,” said Val, taking his place on the opposite side of the stone and getting as good a grip as possible. Eddie nodded.

“One—two—three—Go!” said Val. Red in the face from the effort, their muscles bulging, the two men heaved. The rock moved a few inches away from the entrance to the cave.

“Again,” directed Val. They moved it several inches more. In a few minutes they had it far enough away from the black entrance to the hole in the side of the hill to permit them to enter.

Panting and perspiring, the men paused for a moment to dry their faces and catch their breaths.

“I’ll go in,” said Jessica, all excitement.

“Better not,” warned Val. “Not yet, anyway. You can’t tell what you’ll find there—it’s many years since you’ve been in it.”