I do promise to do I _will_
do."

"But if you die?" said David.

"Well, what if I do? we have all to come to that some day, sooner or
later."

"Are you prepared to die?" asked Trevarrow earnestly.

"Now, David, don't 'ee trouble me with that. 'Tis all very well for the
women an' child'n, but it don't suit me, it don't, so lev us have no
more of it, booy. I'll do it to-morrow, that's fixed, so now we'll have
a bit supper."

The tone in which Maggot said this assured David that further
conversation would be useless, so he dropped the subject and sat down
with the rest of the family to their evening meal.

CHAPTER TEN.

SHOWS HOW MAGGOT MADE A DESPERATE VENTURE, AND WHAT FLOWED FROM IT.

"A wilful man must have his way" is a proverb the truth of which was
illustrated by the blacksmith on the following day.

David Trevarrow again attempted to dissuade him from his purpose, and
reiterated his offer to go in his stead, but he failed to move him.
Mrs Maggot essayed, and added tears to her suasion, as also did little
Grace; but they failed too--the obdurate man would not give way. The
only one of his household who did not attempt to dissuade him
(excepting, of course, the baby, who cared nothing whatever about the
matter) was Zackey. That urchin not only rejoiced in the failure of the
others to turn his father from his purpose, but pleaded hard to be
allowed to go with him, and share his danger as well as glory. This,
however, was peremptorily denied to the young aspirant to fame and a
premature death by drowning in a dark hole.

Early in the forenoon Maggot and his friends proceeded to the shore,
where they found a number of miners and others assembled near the adit
mouth--among them our hero Oliver Trembath, Mr Donnithorne, and Mr
Cornish, at that time the purser and manager of Botallack mine.

The latter gentleman accosted Maggot as he came forward, and advised him
to be cautious. Of course the smith gave every assurance that was
required of him, and immediately prepared himself to make the dangerous
experiment.

Supplying himself with a number of tallow candles, a mining hammer, and
other tools, Maggot stripped to the waist, and jestingly bidding his
friends farewell, entered the mouth of the tunnel, and disappeared. The
adit level, or tunnel, through which he had to pass to the scene of his
operations, was, as we have said, about a quarter of a mile in length,
about six feet high, and two and a