tors felt exceedingly proud that the rioter
should ask him to participate in the plot, and promised, without the
least show of hesitation, to do anything which might be required of
him.

"How long before you'll be ready?" he asked.

"It may be a week; but you drop in here for a minute every evenin' so's
I can talk about the thing if the plans don't work. There's no use to be
in a hurry over sich a job as this."

"I'll show up reg'lar," Skip cried gleefully, and then, as Billings
re-entered the groggery, he hurried away to tell the good news to some
of his chums.

During this plotting Joe Brace and Bill Thomas were at Fred's home
discussing the best means of following Mr. Wright's instructions. The
plan of the works was studied carefully; but in it was found no solution
to the problem, and when they retired that evening nothing definite had
been decided upon.

The night shift went to work as usual, and but for the evidences of
wanton destruction a stranger would hardly have mistrusted that Farley's
had lately been a scene of rioting.

On the following morning Fred passed through the breaker to speak to
Donovan before entering the slope, and Skip Miller displayed the
greatest excitement on seeing him.

"I don't know how it could have happened," the breaker boss said, "for I
haven't told even my own wife that you was to be Joe's butty; but these
young villains know all about it. I've heard Skip tellin' his cronies,
an' I'm sure they're up to some mischief. Be careful, an' don't go
outside alone, leastways, not till the business of the riot has blown
over."

"I'll look to it that they haven't a chance to do much harm," Fred
replied, laughingly, as he passed on to learn the first duties of a
miner.

Joe, Bill, and Sam accompanied Fred to his new working place, and the
former said as they were being let down the incline:

"I hear Billings swears he won't leave town."

"I passed him on my way home last night," Bill added, "and he warned me
agin keepin' Sam as my butty."

"Why?"

"He says he is a spy, hand in glove with you, an' that all who work with
them as give information to the bosses will catch it rough."

Bill Thomas laughed as he said this; but Joe looked serious.

"I don't like this way of working. The lower level is bad enough without
thinkin' all the time that somebody is tryin' to do a fellow up."

"Nonsense. Barkin' dogs don't often bite, an' so long as we know he
means mischief there ain't mu