erstood Mike Connell's threatening
gesture towards the new-comer, and several times during that day one
or more of them might have been seen in low-voiced consultation with
the scowling-faced Irishman.

"Here, lad, fill lamp wi' sunlight," said the timber boss, as he and
his protege were leaving the plat. "First rule of mine is always have
lamp in trim, and carry candle, besides plenty of matches in pocket."

With this Mark scooped up in his hand a small quantity of a stiff,
whitish substance from an open box beside them, and stuffed it into
his lamp. The box was indeed marked "Sunlight," but when Peveril
followed his companion's example he found its contents to be merely
solidified paraffine.

With their lamps well filled and flaring brightly, the two walked for
half a mile through a dry and well-ventilated gallery, which had been
driven by drill and blast through solid rock, and from which thousands
of tons of copper had been taken. Now Peveril learned for the first
time what "timbering" a mine meant, and realized the necessity for the
huge piles of great logs that he had seen above ground in close
proximity to the shaft. Not only had it been incased on all four sides
by logs mortised together and laid up like the walls of a house, but
the drift through which he now walked was timbered from end to end.
Its roof was upheld by huge tree-trunks standing from ten to twenty
feet apart, and occasionally in groups of three or four together.
Supported by them, and pressing against the roof or "hanging," were
other great timbers known as "wall plates," and behind these was a
compactly laid sheathing of split timber spoken of as "lagging."

As the two men advanced deeper into the drift, an occasional ore-car,
pushed by its panting human team, rumbled heavily past, while every
now and then came dull, tremulous shocks like those of an earthquake.
These were blasts on other levels, or in other parts of the one on
which they were.

At sound of a confused shouting from somewhere ahead of them, they
stood still until, with a crashing roar that bellowed and echoed
through the galleries like a peal of loudest thunder, one of these
blasts was fired close at hand. A minute later they were enveloped in
a pungent smoke, through which twinkled dimly a score of lights.
Brawny, half-naked forms were already wielding pick and shovel amid
the masses of rock just loosened, a powerful air-drill was being
placed in position for another attac