"You think so, do you? Well, we ain't goin' in the door at all! We're goin' in a window with a busted catch! Hope to die and cross my heart if we ain't! And if you don't come along now we'll know who's the bluffer, by jingo!" "All right, kid," grunted Sube as he arose languidly and began to hunt for his cap. "But if I find out you been lyin' to me,--I'll fix you good and plenty." CHAPTER XXVII TRIAL MERSHUM A short time afterwards the four boys clambered through a narrow opening in the lower section of a window that was sacred to the memory of Zenas Wheelock, deceased, and his three wives, equally deceased, and huddled timorously just inside in readiness to retreat at the first unfavorable symptom. The interior of the church was pretty scary at first, it was so dark and empty and smelled so religious. But after listening cautiously until he was satisfied that nobody was about but his own company, Sube made bold to speak. "Well, Giz," he said, "why don't you trot out your wonderful mershum swimmin'-hole?" All of them started at the hollow echoing sound of Sube's voice, and Cathead made a movement towards the window. But Gizzard pointed a stubby finger at the pulpit. "It's down under there," he said. "Maybe I can't open it the first thing, but I know it's there, all right." He walked over and began to run his hand along the edge of the platform on which the pulpit stood. At first he succeeded in finding nothing but a great deal of dust and an occasional sliver, while Sube goaded him on with unkind remarks, and Cathead tried to persuade him to abandon the investigation so that they might "get out while the gettin' was good." Suddenly there was a click, followed by a seismic rumble. The pulpit and the platform on which it stood moved perceptibly. There were simultaneous exclamations from three members of the party. Gizzard's denoted triumph; Sube's delighted astonishment; and Cathead's nervous apprehension. Cottontop was beyond words. He could only gasp. Flushed with success, Gizzard began to dance around the front of the altar, making unmistakable signs of derision, and shouting excitedly: "Ya-da! Ya-da! What'd I tell you! What'd I tell you!" Sube recovered his indifferent attitude at once. "Well, we ain't _seen_ it yet, have we?" he said. "You fellers help me push this here thing back and you'll see it in a hurry!" cried Gizzard confidently. All lent a hand except Cathead, who discreetly remained in the background. And suddenly he gave a cry of warning. "Look out there! You're movin' the whole blame' bus'ness!" And indeed they were. Pulpit and platform rolled majestically back several feet, disclosing to their popping eyes just such a pool as Gizzard had described. When Gizzard had sufficiently recovered from his surprise to find his voice, he demanded of Sube with the gruffness which he was now entitled to employ: "Ain't that there a swimmin'-hole?" "Looks like one," Sube was forced to admit.