Crossing himself, he muttered a secret prayer, and, snatching up a pick-axe, entered the cavity, and resumed his labour.
The noise of the heavy blows dealt by him against the wall drowned the tolling of the bell.

The charm was broken.

And stimulated by his conduct, the others followed his example, and though the awful tolling continued at intervals during the whole of their operations, it offered no further interruption to them.
Another and more serious cause of anxiety, however, arose.

As the work advanced, without being aware of it, they approached the bank of the river, and the water began to ooze through the sides of the excavation,--at first, slightly, but by degrees to such an extent as to convince them that their labour would be entirely thrown away.

Large portions of the clay, loosened by the damp, fell in upon them, nearly burying those nearest the tumbling mass; and the floor was now in some places more than a foot deep in water, clearly proving it would be utterly impossible to keep the powder fit for use in such a spot.
Catesby bore these untoward circumstances with ill-concealed mortification.