Still he dug on at the grave for a little longer.  It was by now becoming a matter of exceeding labour to throw the shovelfuls of soil clear of the hole.  Then he determined to stop, and with this view scrambled, not without difficulty, out of the amateur tomb.  Once out, his eyes fell on a stout iron crowbar which was standing among the other tools, such an implement as is used to make holes in the earth wherein to set hurdles and stakes.  It occurred to him that it would not be a bad idea to drive this crowbar into the bottom of the grave which he had dug, in order to ascertain if there was anything within its reach.  So he once more descended into the hole and began to work with the iron crow, driving it down with all his strength.  When he had got it almost as deep as it would go, that is about two feet, it struck something—­something hard—­there was no doubt of it.  He worked away in great excitement, widening the hole as much as he could.

Yes, it was masonry, or if it was not masonry it was something uncommonly like it.  He drew the crow out of the hole, and, seizing the shovel, commenced to dig again with renewed vigour.  As he could no longer conveniently throw the earth from the hole he took a “skep” or leaf basket, which lay handy, and, placing it beside him, put as much of the sandy soil as he could carry into it, and then lifting shot it on the edge of the pit.  For three-quarters of an hour he laboured thus most manfully, till at last he came down on the stonework.  He cleared a patch of it and examined it attentively, by the light of the dark lantern.  It appeared to be rubble work built in the form of an arch.  He struck it with the iron crow and it gave back a hollow sound.  There was a cavity of some sort underneath.

His excitement and curiosity redoubled.  By great efforts he widened the spot of stonework already laid bare.  Luckily the soil, or rather sand, was so friable that there was very little exertion required to loosen it.  This done he took the iron crow, and inserting it beneath a loose flat stone levered it up.  Here was a beginning, and having got rid of the large flat stone he struck down again and again with all his strength, driving the sharp point of the heavy crow into the rubble work beneath.  It began to give, he could hear bits of it falling into the cavity below.  There! it went with a crash, more than a square foot of it.

He leant over the hole at his feet, devoutly hoping that the ground on which he was standing would not give way also, and tried to look down.  Next second he threw his head back coughing and gasping.  The foul air rushing up from the cavity or chamber, or whatever it was, had half poisoned him.  Then not without difficulty he climbed out of the grave and sat down on the pile of sand he had thrown up.  Clearly he must allow the air in the place to sweeten a little.  Clearly also he must have assistance if he was to descend into the great hole.  He could not undertake this by himself.