They fairly ran to the other end of the passageway, retracing their steps. This time Frank was ahead. Suddenly he came to a halt.
“Well, why don’t you go on?” asked Andy.
“I can’t. There’s a big rock here.”
“A rock? There wasn’t any there when we came in.”
“I know it, but it’s fallen down since. The passage is closed.”
“Closed!” gasped Andy. “Then I know what happened. That was the noise we heard. That man toppled this rock down to trap us here. We’re caught, Frank! Caught!”
For a moment the older brother did not answer. Then he replied:
“It does looks so. But we’ll try to shove this stone out of the way. Come on, lend a hand.”
Together the boys pushed and shoved. But all to no purpose. Flashing their lights on the obstruction, they saw that it had fallen down in a wedged-shaped place, dove-tailing itself in so that no power short of dynamite could loosen it. The hopelessness of moving it struck them at once.
“The other end!” cried Frank. “We must try to get out the other way!”