I thought these were only
factories."
"Oh, well, what if it is?" returned Bart. "We'd better get busy
here before we're interrupted. Let's hope there isn't another fire
in this district to-night."
Without much difficulty they found the square place that Frank and
Bart had noticed on their previous visit. They scraped away the
ice and gravel and discovered the ring by which the trap door was
evidently raised. Then they braced themselves and gave a mighty
tug.
But the effort was unavailing. They were far stronger than the
ordinary run of men, and yet even their trained muscles had to
confess defeat.
"Perhaps it's locked or bolted on the other side," suggested Bart.
"Not likely," answered Frank. "It's more probable that it's frozen
in. Get out your knives and dig around the edge of the door, and
then we'll try again."
They did this for perhaps five minutes, and then tried again.
This time the door moved but did not yield. Once more they bent
their backs to the work, and this time they won. Slowly and
creakingly the door rose, showing a yawning chasm beneath, while a
rush of fetid air assailed their nostrils!
CHAPTER XVII
A PERILOUS SITUATION
The three Army Boys started back almost letting go the trap door
in their desire to escape the noxious odor and fill their lungs
with the cool winter air.
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