superintendent and his cousin, the miners spoke of Mrs. Pennypoker's
appearance in such unguarded terms as left him no room to doubt their
knowledge of the person for whom he was seeking. However, he still kept
on to the head of the drift, thinking it possible that they might be in
some dark corner, though he could think of no reason which should tempt
them to conceal themselves in any such fashion. But his quest was
unavailing, and, facing about, he returned to the head of the cross-cut
where he paused, uncertain what course to pursue. Then he opened his
mouth and shouted their names, with the full power of his strong bass
voice. The sound echoed up and down through the galleries and then died
away, to be followed by a high-pitched feminine shriek.

The cry came from the opposite end of the drift from the one which they
had been exploring, and Mr. Everett turned his steps in that direction.
This end had been abandoned, some days before, in consequence of a
serious leak in the pipes connecting with the pump; and it was now only
lighted for a short distance beyond the mouth of the cross-cut. Now that
the pump had ceased, the water had settled over the floor, to form a
deep, thick clay which rendered progress slow and difficult. He had just
passed the last electric light and was proceeding even more cautiously
than before, when he came to an abrupt halt. The feeble glimmer of his
miner's lamp had fallen upon a strange picture, and one whose meaning he
was not slow to grasp.

At one side of the drift and leaning against the wall, stood Mrs.
Pennypoker, with one foot drawn up under her, much in the attitude of a
meditative hen. A few feet away from her, the doctor was bending
forward, with his lamp extended in one hand, while with his other he
held his cane, which he was poking about in the soft, sticky mud.

[Illustration: "His lamp extended in one hand, while with his other he
held his cane, which he was poking about in the soft, sticky mud."]

"Well," said Mr. Everett at length, after he had watched them in
silence, during some moments; "what are you doing here?"

The Reverend Gabriel and Mrs. Pennypoker both started guiltily. So
interested had they been in their search, that they had been unconscious
of Mr. Everett's approach until he stood before them. In her surprise,
Mrs. Pennypoker came near losing her balance, and, to support herself,
she put down her other foot. It was a shapely foot, and was covered with
an