They had some wax candles to take its place, and they had not to fear lack of light from that source.
A minute after the beginning of the operation, the ramrod went freely through the wall.

At once a rather dull noise was produced, resembling that made by globules of air escaping through a column of water.

The air escaped, and, at the same moment, the level of the water rose in the cone, and stopped at the height of the hole.

This proved that they had pierced too low--that is to say, below the liquid mass.
"Begin again," the young novice said, coolly, after rapidly stopping the hole with a handful of clay.
The water was again stationary in the cone, but the reserved space had diminished more than eight inches.

Respiration became difficult, for the oxygen was beginning to fail.