Fritz proposed that we should hollow out a cave in
the rock, and though the difficulties such an undertaking would present
appeared almost insurmountable, I yet determined to make the attempt;
we might not, I thought, hew out a cavern of sufficient size to serve
as a room, but we might at least make a cellar for the more valuable
and perishable of our stores.
Some days afterwards we left Falconhurst with the cart laden with a
cargo of spades, hammers, chisels, pickaxes and crowbars, and began our
undertaking. On the smooth face of the perpendicular rock I drew out in
chalk the size of the proposed entrance, and then, with minds bent on
success, we battered away.
Six days of hard and incessant toil made but little impression; I do
not think that the hole would have been a satisfactory shelter for even
Master Knips; but we still did not despair, and were presently rewarded
by coming to softer and more yielding substance; our work progressed,
and our minds were relieved.
On the tenth day, as our persevering blows were falling heavily, Jack,
who was working diligently with a hammer and crowbar, shouted:
`Gone, father! Fritz, my bar has gone through the mountain!'
`Run round and get it,' laughed Fritz, `perhaps it has dropped into
Europe--you must not lose a good crowbar.
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