“What with?”
“This,” replied his companion. “Feel for it. It’s an auger. It’s sharp.”
“Good business!”
Raxworthy didn’t waste words by asking how the doctor had come by it.
“There’s a tool chest,” volunteered the latter, by way of explanation. “When we turned turtle it nearly smashed my leg. If only we had a light.”
They hadn’t, so perforce had to work in the dark, and the midshipman had only a vague idea of the lay-out of the junk.
He set to work with the auger, boring through the bulkhead at a point a few inches from which was the deck, now the roof of their prison.
The woodwork was of teak, as sound as a bell. In about five minutes the auger was through. Gingerly Raxworthy withdrew it. To his unbounded relief no gush of water followed.
“Keep clear!” he cautioned. “I’m going to swing the axe!”
Klip, klop; klip, klop!