Standing in the same position as before he extended the stick horizontally, explaining to Godfrey the reason for his act.
But Solomon's saying, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be," was not verified on the present occasion. Though Idris waited patiently for several minutes the rod manifested none of the downward tendency that it had previously shown.
Godfrey himself took the stick and tried the experiment, but with no better result. He expressed his opinion that Idris must have been the victim of an illusion: but to this Idris would not assent.
"The rod does not turn now, that's clear. But that it did turn I am confident. It was no fancy of mine."
"Let us dig," said Godfrey, "and see whether there is anything beneath the soil that could have caused it."
With these words he took up the spade and began digging. Idris followed his example, wielding the pickaxe, but found, after a few strokes, that some hard substance prevented the point of the implement from penetrating to a greater depth than three or four inches.
"This earth is mere superficial deposit, percolations from the roof," said Idris. "There is a stone flooring beneath."
In a few moments they had cleared away the terrene deposit, discovering nothing however, except a block of smooth masonry, at which Idris dealt a few strokes by way of experiment.
"Humph! seems solid enough. The dull sound given forth is hardly suggestive of a cavity. What made the rod curve, I wonder?"