The carpenter complies. For several minutes the sound of the iron bar prying
at iron-cold wood and the carpenter’s grunts almost drown out the frenzied
gnawing of the rats behind them. The bent Canadian elm tears back and falls
away. The shattered African oak is leveraged out. Only the inward-bent original
oak of the hull remains now as Crozier steps closer, holding his lantern so that
both men can see

Chapter 9