The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-09-05

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rooms.
Cramped Quarters
In the chalky material, the pick
or the shovel could be used without
difficulty and the duration Of the
work was of no consequence. They
would have an occupation for the
long winter days, and everything
could be completed before spring
if there were no landSlides or in
filtration of water, which they
most feared.
They could use the same tools
with which they had made a hole
in the wall for the stove pipes.
Besides, Baxter had been able to
enlarge the entrance of French
Den enough to hinge one of
Sloughi's doors to it. On each
side of the door, two narrow win
doWs had been cut in the wall,
which gave some daylight and
better circulation of air in the
cave.
The weather was bad for q
week. Violent storms ragged
around the island. Torrents of
rain and swirls of snow passed
noisily over the crest of the
cliff. The boys only hunted ducks
and Snipe in the neighborhood
of the lake.
Forced to remain in the cave
most of the time, the boys be-
gain to enlarge the Den late in
May. They started on the right
wall.
IF we dig at right angles"
said Briant, I'VE ray come out
on the side of the lake and get
a second entrance to French Den.
Then we could watch the APP
proach better and if snow blocked
one entrance we could use the
other"
Only forty or fifty feet sep
arated the inside of the cave
from the western side of the cliff.
They only had to dig in that di.
rection on a line fixed by the
compass, but they must try to
prevent a landslide. Baxter pro-
posed first to dig a narrow chan
mel which could be enlarged when
its depth was found sufficient.
The two rooms of French Den
would then be joined by a pass
age which could be closed at
both ends and in the sides of
which they would later dig one or
two dark caves.
For three days the boys worked
under fairly favorable conditions.
The chalky mass almost could
be cut with a knife, so it was
necessary to strengthen it by
putting planks inside, which was
difficult. When the rain or snow
were not falling, some of the
boys dismantled the raft, so the
pieces of the platform and frame
could be used in the new build
ing.
About five feet of the tunnel
had been dug when a strange
incident occurred on the after
noon of the thirtieth.
Briant, crouched like a miner as
he dug, thought he heard a dull
sound in the interior of the rock.
He stopped working and list
ened more attentively. Again the
noise was heard distinctly. He
went to Gordon and Baxter, who
we're near the tunnel entrance,
and told them of the incident.
"A mistake" said Gordon. You
thought you heard!"
"You go in and listen, Gordon!"
suggested Briant.
Gordon went in, listened for a
and came out, saying:
you're right! I heard a kind
of distant rumbling, tool"
Baxter entered and came out
saying What can that be?"
II can't imagined" answered Cor
don. Let's call Doniphan and
the Others"
mot the young Ones" said
Briant. They'd be frightened"
AG GIldG IIIOlIlCIlG oil TCGuII1Gu 1OE
dinner and heard what was going
on. The younger ones were a
little alarmed.
Doniphan, Wilcox, Webb and
Garrett slipped into the tunnel,
one after another. But the noise
had ceased. They we're inclined to
think their comrades mistaken. In
any case, it was decided that the
work would not be interfered with
and they began again right after
dinner.
About 9 o'clock new growls were
heard distinctly.
At that moment, Phann, who
had gone inside the tunnel, came
out with his hair on end and his
lips drawn back above his teeth,
giving this as his answer to the
growing in the interior of the
rock.
Ito Be COntinued)
Translation from the original ''Deux
Ans de Vacances." copyright, 1875, by
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