My uncle had been all the morning making purchases of a part of the tools and apparatus required for this desperate undertaking.

The passage was encumbered with rope ladders, knotted cords, torches, flasks, grappling irons, alpenstocks, pickaxes, iron shod sticks, enough to load ten men.
I spent an awful night.

Next morning I was called early.

I had quite decided I would not open the door.

But how was I to resist the sweet voice which was always music to my ears, saying, "My dear Axel ?" I came out of my room.