hen Harry said: "Let us have another
spell." This time a quarter of an hour sufficed. "It is of no use,
Harry; I can't go on any longer," Bertie said. "I feel as if my
shoulders were broken."

"I am beginning to feel the same, Bertie. However, we are all hitting
straighter now. We will go up into the shade and take it quietly for
two or three hours; then we will have a spell again."

However, after the rest, they all agreed that it would be useless to
try again, for they could not lift their arms over their heads without
feeling acute pain. Three days were spent at this exercise, and at the
end of that time they had gained confidence, and the heads of the
drills were no longer missed.

After the first day they only worked for a quarter of an hour at a
time, taking an hour's rest. The pain in their arms had begun to abate.
On the following day they practised striking alternately, three
standing round one borer. They found this at first awkward, but by the
end of the day they were able to strike in regular order, the blows
falling faster after each other on to the drill.

"I think we shall do now," said Bertie. "No doubt we shall hit harder
with a fortnight's practice, and shall be able to keep it up longer.
However, I think that even now we have sufficient confidence in
striking to be able to hold the borer without any fear of an accident."

The next day they began work early in the cellar. Jose volunteered to
take the first turn to hold the drill.

"You understand, Jose, you must turn it round a little after each
stroke, and in that way it will cut the hole regularly."

Harry took his place on one side of Jose, who sat with a leg on each
side of the drill. Dias stood facing Harry, Bertie behind Jose holding
the torch so that its light fell strongly on the head of the drill. At
first the two men struck gently, but gradually, as they grew confident,
increased the weight of their strokes until they were hitting with
their full power. After ten minutes they stopped. "Let us look at the
hole," Harry said. "How far has