All the strange things he had heard from Sir Nathaniel, and all those, little and big, which he had himself noticed, crowded into his mind in a chaotic way.

Instinctively he took refuge behind a thick oak stem, and set himself down, to watch what might occur.
After a short time it became apparent that the African was trying to find out what was behind the heavy door.

There was no way of looking in, for the door fitted tight into the massive stone slabs.

The only opportunity for the entrance of light was through a small hole between the great stones above the door.

This hole was too high up to look through from the ground level.