“No, now.”
“Well, we're ready.”
“Come on, then. Where's that light ye had.”
“Here.”
“Touch it up again so I kin show ye the way.”
The light blazed forth, and the two detectives saw Red Rob seize what appeared to be a protruding knot in one of the timbers and pull upon it.
Instantly a large section of the timber swung loose, working upon concealed hinges, and revealing an opening through which he motioned the two detectives to follow.
The aperture was so small that they were obliged to crawl through, but they found themselves inside the adjoining crib which they traversed, and then passed on to the next in the same manner.
Thus they made their way past all the cribs until the shore was reached.
There the inroads of the waters had been prevented by the erection of a face wall, and from this, by working another secret mechanism, a huge stone was made to swing in out of sight, and they crawled through into a narrow gallery which had been dug out of the solid earth.