Penny had brought the silken ladder, extra rope, a flashlight and a suit of warm coveralls which her father used when he worked on the car. Donning the bulky garment, she prepared to descend a few feet into the well.
“Do be careful,” Louise said anxiously. “If you should fall you might kill yourself.”
“You think of the most cheerful things,” Penny muttered, climbing nimbly down the swaying ladder. “I’m not taking any chances though. I’ll tie myself to the ladder with this extra piece of rope.”
After she had gained the position she desired, Louise handed down the flashlight. Penny carefully inspected the brick wall.
“I believe it is an opening!” she reported jubilantly. “I really do. Here, take this flash. I can’t work and hold it.”
While Louise directed the beam from above, Penny tugged at the bricks. Unable to move them, she called for a tool which she had brought with her. By means of it, she easily pried one of the bricks loose. Pushing her arm through the opening, she encountered only empty space.
“It’s a little tunnel I think!” she shouted to Louise. “Take this brick, and I’ll try to pry out others!”
Within ten minutes Penny had handed up enough of them to make a large pile beside the flagstones.
“Do you realize you’re practically destroying Mrs. Marborough’s well!” Louise said uneasily. “How will we ever explain this?”
“I can put the bricks back again,” Penny assured her. “They were meant to come out. Now, the flashlight again.”