He paused, uncomprehending. Link's squeaky voice brought the explanation.
"They can't get us now. McGruder and me levered the pipe out with a board. You oughta see the stuff pour in."
The full enormity of this was slow in penetrating Marlin's mind.
"What's that!" called DuChane, his voice rising in alarm. He came stumbling toward them in the darkness. "Now isn't that fine! It isn't enough that we're trapped in here, but we've got to make the trap foolproof by blocking the only way out!"
Unmindful of the stormy exchange of insults and recriminations that surged around him, Marlin picked his way back to the tool room and deposited his groaning charge at Maw Barstow's feet.
"Better dress the wounds," he commented. "Where's Eli?"
"Somewhere down there," Maw replied vaguely. "Pearlie, darlin', help me get this bloody shirt offen the pore dear."
CHAPTER VI
Returning to the others, Marlin found DuChane holding forth in a profane diatribe which included not only McGruder, Link, and Sally, but all their antecedents.