question
Ollie lay under the potatoes, gasping. He jumped a little when the fire blew in the door at the top of the stairs; for a moment he could actually see the dirty cradle he lay in. It was getting warmer, and he wondered if the half-full tank he had left behind would blow. He also wondered how much additional time the full one had bought him, and if it was worth it.

Question: What’s the meaning of “if it was worth it”? What do these two “it”s refer to respectively?

Question

question
Ollie lay under the potatoes, gasping. He jumped a little when the fire blew in the door at the top of the stairs; for a moment he could actually see the dirty cradle he lay in. It was getting warmer, and he wondered if the half-full tank he had left behind would blow. He also wondered how much additional time the full one had bought him, and if it was worth it.

Question: What’s the meaning of “if it was worth it”? What do these two “it”s refer to respectively?

Answer

Stephen King, right?

The first 'it' is the effort
The second 'it' is worth

So, 'if it was worth it' means - if the effort of doing something is equal to the worth or benefit that you receive.

Example: I spent 2 hours cleaning my house, but I'm not sure it was worth it, as it still looks untidy!

Hope this helps.