d, but obeyed his companion, handing him a steel wedge
with an edge as fine as the blade of a knife. Then he held the light
close while his companion gently tapped it in between the door and
frame.

Another followed, and another--quite a dozen, of increasing sizes,
having been brought; and the leather-covered hammer deadened the sound
greatly, while the crack grew larger, and it seemed pretty certain that
the steel wedges would sooner or later force open the door.

"See this?" said the operator, triumphantly.

"Oh yes, I see, but I'm in a bath o' perspiration."

"With doing nothing but hold a candle!" said Arthur, with a chuckle, as
he drove in another wedge as far as it would go and released two more
thinner ones. "Now I'm going to have a moment's rest and a drink while
you go and see how dear old Mrs Barron is. Whistle if you want help."

The butler went off, and the young man drank and examined the progress
he had made, and he was still examining so as to find where he could
drive in the next wedge with the most effect when the butler came back.

"She hasn't stirred," he said.

"She can't," said his companion, with a laugh, and he began tapping
again vigorously, but at the end of half a dozen strokes, as his hammer
was poised to deliver another, there was a dull clang, and the young
fellow leaped back.

"Hear that?" he said in a whisper full of triumph.

"Yes, it was like the banging to of another iron door."

"Banging to of an iron grandmother!" cried Arthur, contemptuously; "it's
the whole front splitting away, and another wedge in will fetch it right
off."

"I hope so," said Roach, piteously. "Do you think it will take much
longer?"

"I don't care if it takes two days," said the other, coolly. "Don't
matter so long as we get the door open."

Roach sighed.

"There, hold the light, and don't do that. You are a cheerful mate,
'pon my sivvy. Here goes."

The speaker began again, keeping a sharp lookout, so as to spring back
and not be crushed by the falling door; and to this end he made Roach
stand in the entrance and direct the light from there, giving him plenty
of room. But the door did not fall, and at the end of an hour the
hammer was thrown down.

"It's no go."

"Do you give it up?" cried Roach, eagerly.

"No, I don't give it up, but I'm not going to work all the flesh off my
bones when one stroke will do the work."

"What! The powder?"

"That's it, old chap. Go and see how t