He had recourse to his penknife, with which he hacked a hole in the wood, large enough to find that there was an inner back of iron, or some kind of metal.

Each new obstacle served only to inflame his impatience, and to provoke his temper.

He forgot the bed in the next room, and everything else in the world except the attainment of his object, and running downstairs, returned with a large sledge-hammer that he found in the coal-hole.

With his strength concentrated in one blow, he swung it against the back of the bureau, and had the satisfaction of finding his wishes gratified.
The concussion moved some secret spring somewhere, for as the piece of furniture tottered on its foundation, and fell forwards against the bed, out rolled such a profusion of gold, as led Howel to believe, the 'El dorado' was found at last.

Mother and son lifted up their hands in astonishment; gold pieces were in every corner of the room, scattered here and there like large yellow hail.
The noise of the blow, however, and the subsequent fall of the bureau had alarmed a neighbour, and before one piece of the tempting gold had been picked up, there was a loud knock at the door.
'Say the house has fallen in; the inquisitive fools!' exclaimed Howel, as his mother left the room.
Howel began to fill his pockets with gold pieces, and opening a box, pushed as many as he could hastily gather up into it also.