Finally Barney rose.
“Wha’ am yo’ gwine to do, I’sh?”
“Begorra, I’m goin’ ter thry an’ dig me way out av this,” declared the Celt.
“Dig?”
“Yis.”
“A’right; I’se wif yo’.”
They had no spade or pick; but they had strong hands, and soon got to work. Their efforts were not without avail.
The earth was coarse and gravelly, and much easier displaced than as if it had been solid dirt.
In a very short time they had cleared quite a space in the heap of debris. Then they came upon two large slabs of rock, a part of the stone staircase.
However, beneath their most intense exertions these rocks were moved aside and they fell to digging again.