They had reached the door that led into the garden. “Come, Audry, the afternoon is spent and it is time for supper.”
CHAPTER XXX
THE GREAT IRON CHEST
THE next morning Master Mowbray went over to Newbiggin to look at the cottage that had been occupied by “Moll o’ the graves,” as it was his property, on the old Middleton estate which was much larger and more important than Holwick. The cottage was in poor condition and he decided that it should be rebuilt. It was dinner time before he came back, so they were not able to go down to the secret room till the afternoon.
“Now,” said Aline, as they entered, “first the chest has to be laid on its back.”
This they tried to do, but it was too heavy. They pushed and pulled, but they could not stir it.
“Let us use some of those stout poles there, standing in the corner,” said Ian; “then we can lever it over.”
This they did and with some difficulty the chest was turned over.
“I expect that is the very thing for which the poles were used,” Audry suggested.
“Probably,” said Aline, as she put her finger on the top right hand rivet head and slid it an inch to the left.