"If we did find anything, after all, think of the row Dodge could raise over the vandalism in his room." So the time slipped by, faster than any of them knew.

But these five cadets, now satisfied that the obdurate brick really did hide a secret toiled on with no thought of surrender.
At last they struck the combination.

The brick back of the one that so resisted their efforts was finally pried up, after a good deal of effort.

This opening laid bare a neat but powerful spring.
Had they had, at the outset, the whole secret of this spring, they could have raised the resisting brick in a second's time.
"Get it up---must have a look!" cried Prescott hoarsely.
It was Greg who raised the brick that had resisted their efforts for so long.

Underneath Cadet Holmes found a collection of things that chained the attention of all, as each took eager looks in turn.
"Going to put the stuff back, for the present ?" asked Anstey, with an odd quiver in his voice The honorable Virginian was upset by what he had seen.
"Not never!" retorted Greg with ungrammatical emphasis.