Will you permit me and assist me to remove it?
I have a great curiosity to know what is behind it." "If you have, I certainly will do so.

We thought of taking it away altogether, but when Flora left this room the idea was given up as useless.

Remain here a few moments, and I will endeavour to find something which shall assist us in its removal." Henry left the mysterious chamber in order to search in his own for some means of removing the frame-work of the picture, so that the panel would slip easily out, and while he was gone, Charles Holland continued gazing upon it with greater interest, if possible, than before.
In a few minutes Henry returned, and although what he had succeeded in finding were very inefficient implements for the purpose, yet with this aid the two young men set about the task.
It is said, and said truly enough, that "where there is a will there is a way," and although the young men had no tools at all adapted for the purpose, they did succeed in removing the moulding from the sides of the panel, and then by a little tapping at one end of it, and using a knife at a lever at the other end of the panel, they got it fairly out.
Disappointment was all they got for their pains.

On the other side there was nothing but a rough wooden wall, against which the finer and more nicely finished oak panelling of the chamber rested.
"There is no mystery here," said Henry.
"None whatever," said Charles, as he tapped the wall with his knuckles, and found it all hard and sound.

"We are foiled." "We are indeed." "I had a strange presentiment, now," added Charles, "that we should make some discovery that would repay us for our trouble.