Commodore Junk — page 303: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

296 COMMODORE JUNK. “‘ Now, sor,” said Dinny, “ would ye moind thrying to lift that?” Humphrey stepped quickly to his side, bent down, seized the projecting slab, tried to raise it, and then straightened him- self and shook his head. ‘A dozen men could not raise it, Dinny,” he said. ‘No, sor, but a Kelly can. Look here.” He bent down, placed his shoulder to one corner, gave it a thrust, and the whole top glided round as if on a pivot, and revealed an opening dimly lit apparently from below. “There, sor,” he said, “I dishcovered that by accident when I was here alone wan day. I pushed a big stone against that corner and it gave way, and when I pushed the whole place opened, and down there’s as good a hiding-place as a man need have.” “ Dinny,” cried Humphrey, excitedly, “and doesn’t the captain know of this?” “Sure and I think the last man who knew of it died be- fore the flood, sor, and it hasn’t been opened since.” ‘‘ And these rough stairs—where do they lead?” ‘ Down into the cabin, sor, where there’s a little door out into the forest. Sure and the artful baste who made it little thought he was going to find us as purty a hiding-place as was iver made. There it is, sor, all ready for us if we hear annyone coming. If we do, down we go and twirl the lid of the pot - back over our heads, and then we can either go or shtay.” ‘‘Can you move the cover when you are down }” ‘‘ Aisily, sor. I’ve thried it. Now, then, what do ye say to that?” Humphrey’s answer was to hold out his hand and wring that of his companion. There was an ample supply of food in the place for a week, and water and wine. Dinny’s ideas respecting their safety Gomichbooksneo