off work now an' then, loafin' 'round near where they
are, you'll soon have your hands on it."

"You won't go back on me if I get into trouble?"

"Don't worry about that; I never shake a friend."

With this assurance Skip walked away feeling very happy because of the
manner in which Billings spoke; but sadly perplexed as to the best
course to accomplish the desired end.

CHAPTER XII

A SINGULAR ACCIDENT

Two trustworthy men had been selected from the night shift to keep guard
on the lower level during the time between sunset and sunrise, and about
an hour before the relieving whistle sounded, not having heard any
suspicious noises, they lounged down toward the slope where the miners
were at work.

Here, paying but little attention to what was going on around them, they
conversed with the laborers, or smoked pipes as black as their faces,
in order to while away the moments which must elapse before the labor
was ended.

Men were passing and re-passing on every hand, and in the darkness no
one saw a small figure, in whose cap the lamp was not lighted, run
swiftly from the foot of the slope up the drift where the sentinels
should have been.

On either side of the passage shallow cuttings had been made that the
miners might step aside to avoid the cars as they were drawn to and fro.
Into one of these the figure with the unlighted cap glided, and,
crouching in the farthest corner was screened from view unless a careful
search should be made.

When the day shift came on duty Chunky reported to the breaker boss that
Skip Miller could not come to work on this day.

"Why not?" Donovan asked sharply.

"'Cause he's got to do somethin' at home. He told me to tell you."

"When did you see him?"

"Last night."

"Where?"

"Over by Taylor's."

"What were you doin' at that grogshop?"

"Nothin'. I was jest walkin' around, an' met him."

"Look here, Chunky, it will be best for you to keep away from that
place. No decent man or boy would go there, an' I'd be sorry to know you
trained with the regulators. I've got my eye on them fellers, an' when
trade is dull they'll be the first to get their walkin' papers."

"If father don't care what I do, it ain't any business of yours, so long
as I work from whistle to whistle."

"That's very true; but I shall make it my business to see what your
father has to say about it."

This threat had the effect of checking the almost insolent air Chunky
had begun to displa