Sam Hardwicke had an excellent habit of remembering not only things that were certainly useful to know, but things also which might be useful.

When Jake entered the drift pile, Sam remembered that during his own stay there a year before, he had carefully examined the great log which formed the archway of the entrance, and that it was kept in its place only by this single stick of timber acting as a wedge.

Pulling this out, therefore, he let the farther end of the great tree trunk fall, and completely blocked the passage way..