Then a new difficulty presented itself. There was the hole in the plastering, which, with a bank overhead, would appear a very suspicious circumstance to even the most casual observer. It must be hidden. We used up all the mucilage in the office in plastering paper over it, but still it was only too apparent. We could do no more that night, so we watched our opportunity and got away unobserved.
Early Monday morning we scoured the furniture stores to find some article that would be tall enough to cover the break. At last we found, in a second-hand shop in Canal Street, a solid mahogany wardrobe which would serve our purpose. With very little dickering with the Jew owner we bought it and had it hauled to Kohler’s office, where we placed it under the break.
With the aid of books and boxes the wardrobe served its purpose admirably,--and also formed a first-class receptacle for our tools.
On the Friday following our enforced stoppage, as previously related, we had obtained the necessary tools for digging through the cement, and they were safely deposited in Kohler’s office. We had also arranged for heavily padding the floor beneath the hole so as to catch any debris that might fall, and we were ready to continue the work on the following night. But at this point Taylor informed us that arrangements had been made to have the bank’s quarters painted and decorated, the work to be done on Sundays and after banking hours on week days, and that the start was to be made the next day. This, of course, knocked our plans on the head for the time being, and naturally was a sore disappointment to us, as well as a source of great danger.
Our work had now reached that stage where the utmost caution was necessary--the least slip might bring suspicion upon us. If some one were to spy the break in the ceiling or doubt the legitimacy of Kohler’s insurance business, all would be up with us. Then, too, we had before us the continual fear that the combination of the bank’s vault lock would be changed, necessitating more long, weary weeks of waiting until Taylor should be able to secure the new numbers.
However, these were the risks of the business, and we were perforce obliged to lie low until the coast was clear. At last, on Friday, June 5, Taylor informed us that the painters would not work the following night or Sunday. This was welcome news, and we decided to use the time of their idleness in putting in our work. Our preparations were already made, and, except to order the coach to be in readiness, and notifying the lookouts across the street to keep a sharp watch, there was nothing to do but await the appointed hour.