as vain, however, so we determined to
set off without one. As we closed the door behind us, our clock struck
eleven, and a moment later we heard faintly the eleven o'clock whistle
up at the Pelican.

"Good!" cried Joe. "It isn't the boiler blown up, anyhow, so Tom's
safe; for he is working underground and the explosion, whatever it was,
was on the surface."

With bent heads we pushed our way against the wind, until, looking up
presently, I saw the light of a lantern coming quickly towards us.

"Here's Tom, Joe," I shouted. "Pull up!"

We stopped, and as the light swiftly approached we detected the beating
footsteps of a man running furiously.

"Then there is an accident!" cried Joe. "Ho, Tom! That you?" he shouted.

It was Tom, who, suddenly stopping, held the lantern high, looking first
at one and then at the other of us. He was still in his miner's cap and
slicker, his face was as white as a ghost's, and he was so out of breath
that for a moment he could not speak.

"Hurt, Tom?" I cried, in alarm.

"No,"--with a gasp.

"Anybody hurt?"

"No."

"What is it, then?"

"Scared!" And then, still panting violently: "Come to the house," said
he.

Once inside, I brought Tom a dipper of water, which quickly restored
him, when, turning his still blanched face towards us, he said:

"Boys, I've had the worst scare of my life!"

"How, Tom?" I asked. "That explosion? Was it up at the Pelican?"

"No, it wasn't; and I didn't know anything about it until I came up at
eleven, when George, who was waiting to go on, told me there had been a
heavy explosion down in the direction of my house. When he told me that,
there rushed into my head all of a sudden an idea which nearly knocked
me over--it was like a blow from a hammer. I grabbed the lantern, which
I had just lighted, and ran for it. Can you guess what I expected to
find?"

We shook our heads.

"I expected to find my house blown to pieces, and you two boys lying
dead out in the rain!"

We stared at him in amazement.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Look here, boys," Tom went on. "When George Simpson told me there had
been an explosion down this way, it came into my head all at once that
Yetmore or Long John--probably Long John--had heard that I was out at
work to-night, and not knowing that you were staying the night with me,
had come and wrecked my house."

"But why should they?" Joe asked.

"So as to prevent my raising money on it, and so keep me tied u