y continued their descent and resumed the psalm. The sweet
strains retired gradually, and faded in the depths below as they had
first stolen on the senses from above; and the pleasant memory of them
still remained with the young doctor when he emerged from the mine
through the hole at the head of the shaft, and stood once more in the
blessed sunshine!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1. Reader, allow us to remark that this is a fact. Indeed, we may
say here, once for all, that all the _important_ statements and
incidents in this tale are facts, or founded on facts, with considerable
modification, but without intentional exaggeration.

Note 2. It has been stated to us recently by a volunteer officer, that
at battalion parade, when companies were equalised in numbers, the
companies formed by the men of St. Just required about four paces more
space to stand upon than the other volunteers. No one who visits a St.
Just miner at his underground toil will require to ask the reason why.

CHAPTER NINE.

TREATS OF DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME.

One afternoon a council--we may appropriately say of war--was held in
St. Just. The scene of the council was the shop of Maggot, the
blacksmith, and the members of it were a number of miners, the president
being the worthy smith himself, who, with a sledge-hammer under his arm
in the position of a short crutch, occupied the chair, if we may be
allowed so to designate the raised hearth of the forge.

The war with poverty had not been very successfully waged of late, and,
at the time of which we write, the enemy had apparently given the miners
a severe check, in the way of putting what appeared to be an insuperable
obstacle in their path.

"Now, lads," said Maggot, with a slap on the leathern apron that covered
his knees, "this is the way on it, an' do 'ee be quiet and hould yer
tongues while I do spaik."

The other men, of whom there were nearly a dozen, nodded and said, "Go
on, booy; thee's knaw tin, sure;" by which expression they affirmed
their belief that the blacksmith was a very knowing fellow.

"You do tell me that you've come so close to water that you're 'fraid to
go on? Is that so?"

"Iss, iss," responded the others.

"Well, I'll hole into the house, ef you do agree to give un a good
pitch," said Maggot.

"Agreed, one and all," cried the miners.

In order that the reader may understand the drift of this conv