Every eye was now on the rock, and when it moved,--for move it
did,--such a cry of joy rose as the shores of that little pond had never
echoed before! The great slab ground heavily against the other rocks,
but moved for three or four feet, exposing in part the mouth of the
cave--the same little dark chink that affords entrance to the Den
to-day.
Other boulders prevented the rock from moving farther, and, although the
horses surged at the lever, and we boys added our strength, the slab
stuck fast; but an aperture twenty inches wide had been uncovered, wide
enough to enable any one to enter the Den.
Ben, Willis and Edgar Wilbur crept in, followed by Thomas with a
lantern; and after a time they brought Rufus out. We learned then that
in his haste after the fuse was lighted he had fallen over one of the
large rocks and, striking his leg on another stone, had broken the bone
above the knee. He suffered not a little when the boys were drawing him
out at the narrow chink beside the rock; but he was alive, and that was
a matter for thankfulness.
Thomas went back to get the lantern that Rufus had dropped. It had
fallen into a crevice between two large rocks, and while searching for
it Thomas found another lantern there, of antique pattern.
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