Larry passed his fingers around the edge. He began on the side where the hinges were, since he could not see very well. Not a crack was to be felt. Then, as his hand came around on the other side, he gave a start. He was aware of a slight opening.
“The door is not shut tight!” he cried. “Maybe I can open it!”
He felt around until he came to a place where the opening was widest. As he had discovered the door was not quite shut tight. He put his fingers into the crack and pulled with all his force.
The big plate of iron never moved. He might as well have tried to pull down the side of the tunnel. The door was rusty on the hinges, and, even had it swung freely the very weight of it was too much for a boy.
“I guess I’ll have to give up!” thought Larry.
He moved back a bit, rubbing his hands where the edges of the iron had cut them slightly. As he did so his foot hit against something and he nearly stumbled to the floor. He saved himself by putting out his hand, which came in contact with something cold.
By the touch of it Larry knew it was a crowbar. He grasped it with both hands and pulled it from the crack in the wall where some workman had left it.
“Maybe I can pry the door open with this,” he said. “Luck seems to be coming my way after all.”
The bar was heavy, but Larry strained at it until he had inserted the wedge-like edge in the crack between the door and the side of the air lock.
He pressed on the bar with all his strength. It did not budge.
“I guess it’s tighter than I thought,” gasped the boy.
Once again he pushed until his arms trembled with the strain. Again and again, throwing himself forward, he forced the bar away from him.
Then, just when he was ready to give up in despair, he felt the iron lever give slightly. So little was the movement he half doubted whether it had moved. But as he pressed harder and harder he felt it sway, and then he knew he had started the door to swinging.
“I must keep at it!” he panted, “or it will get stuck again.”
Then with all his strength he pushed until, in the half-light, he saw the crack opening wider and wider until the door was half open and there was space enough for him to slip through.
“Hurrah!” cried Larry faintly. “Now to see if the other door is open,” for the air lock had two portals.