'Well,' continued The Lifter, 'they waited till the tunnel became
dry, and then they made a house and sleeping places underneath. The
whole length of the tunnel was tested, and wherever they intended the
roof should be strong, they propped it up; and those strong places
they used as bridges.'
'Ah; it is plain now what the chief meant about all the unfortunate
men who dropped through the swamp, and were never heard of more.'
'So he has been telleen about these. Yes; they came tumbleen down
through the holes as they crossed, and they fell so sudden that they
had no time to cry; and before they could know where they had got, we
come along and killed 'em. In the night they were dragged out and put
in the lake. I remember how tired myself and Silent Poll were with
the heavy draggen. Then it was so hard to get stones that were heavy
enough to keep the body under; and that you could tie easily.' While
the toil of carrying the wood went on, The Lifter continued to
describe many deeds of horror committed in the dark pit. In the
afternoon, Nancy joined the two, and they examined the mouth of the
passage-way.
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