“Neither did the guards, apparently,” said Harding. “But we had better keep quiet now. Remember, we have long hours ahead of us here and then work to do before we are free.”
The three became silent. The sounds of conflict without continued for possibly half an hour, then gradually died away.
But the sounds of the picks were no longer heard. There would be no more work in No. 10 level until after the German authorities had assured themselves that it was safe. For this purpose, of course, an inspection would be necessary.
“They’ll miss us, too,” whispered Hal, “and they’ll have a look for us.”
“And they will think they have located us when they encounter a mass of debris near where we stood,” said Harding.
“Oh, caused by the blast, eh?” said Chester.
“No; put there through Mercer’s efforts,” replied Harding. “You see,” he explained, “we had already dug in such a manner that a certain piece of rock could be unloosened by a couple of quick blows. Mercer gave them after I struck the match.”
“Great Scott! You seem to have had it figured out perfectly,” declared Hal.
“So I did,” replied Harding, “up to the point when we reach the outside. After that events will have to shape themselves.”
“But when they explore the debris out there and don’t find us, they will smell a mouse,” declared Chester.