He walked over and began to run his hand along the edge of the platform on which the pulpit stood. At first he succeeded in finding nothing but a great deal of dust and an occasional sliver, while Sube goaded him on with unkind remarks, and Cathead tried to persuade him to abandon the investigation so that they might "get out while the gettin' was good."
Suddenly there was a click, followed by a seismic rumble. The pulpit and the platform on which it stood moved perceptibly. There were simultaneous exclamations from three members of the party. Gizzard's denoted triumph; Sube's delighted astonishment; and Cathead's nervous apprehension. Cottontop was beyond words. He could only gasp.
Flushed with success, Gizzard began to dance around the front of the altar, making unmistakable signs of derision, and shouting excitedly:
"Ya-da! Ya-da! What'd I tell you! What'd I tell you!"
Sube recovered his indifferent attitude at once.
"Well, we ain't _seen_ it yet, have we?" he said.
"You fellers help me push this here thing back and you'll see it in a hurry!" cried Gizzard confidently.
All lent a hand except Cathead, who discreetly remained in the background. And suddenly he gave a cry of warning.
"Look out there! You're movin' the whole blame' bus'ness!"
And indeed they were. Pulpit and platform rolled majestically back several feet, disclosing to their popping eyes just such a pool as Gizzard had described. When Gizzard had sufficiently recovered from his surprise to find his voice, he demanded of Sube with the gruffness which he was now entitled to employ:
"Looks like one," Sube was forced to admit.
"Get onto them little steps goin' down into the water, jus' like I tole you," Gizzard pointed out.
Sube did get on to them, first with his eyes, and then with his feet. He squatted down and dipped his hand into the water. "Why, it's warm!" he exclaimed.
"Sure it's warm," said Gizzard patronizingly. "Didn't I tell you it's right on top the furnace, so's they can use it all winter?"
"Hadn't we better be gettin' that thing back?" asked Cathead, glancing nervously towards the door.
"What for?" blurted Sube brazenly. "We jus' got her opened up!"
Cathead squirmed uneasily. "Somebody might come in and catch us. Ol' Joe might come to take care of the furnace."