orts of the
caretaker were at last bringing results. The sounds also aided them in
direction, and in a short time they stood at the shaft on the second
level.

When they came out to the timber work, Will, who was in the lead,
motioned to the others to remain in the background.

"What's doing now?" whispered Sandy.

"There's a man working on the ladders," explained Will in a low whisper.
"I can't see him yet, but I can hear the sound of a saw."

"He may be cutting the rungs," suggested Tommy.

"That's the notion I had," replied Will. "Suppose we all get around
behind the air shaft and wait until we can find out what he is up to. It
may be that bum detective, for all we know."

"What would he be doing there?" questioned Sandy.

"Sawing the rungs!" whispered Will. "He wouldn't cut them down, of
course, but he might saw them so that they would break under our weight
and give us a drop of a couple of hundred feet."

"It doesn't seem as if any human being would do a thing like that!"
cried George. "It would be a wicked thing to do!"

While the boys whispered together, the sound of sawing continued. The
man engaged at the task was evidently unfamiliar with such work, for
they heard him puffing and blowing as the saw cut through the wood.

"He's cutting the rungs, all right!" Will said in a moment. "And that
cuts off our escape until the cables can be put in motion and the cages
started. I wish I had him by the neck!"

"We'll get him by the neck, all right, before many days," Sandy cut in,
"if we can only get a sight of him so as to be sure of his identity."

Presently the man ceased working, and they heard him ascending the
ladders, step by step. In a moment the saw which he had been using
dropped from his hands and clattered to the bottom of the shaft.

Then they heard him springing swiftly forward, and directly they knew
that he had reached the top. The boys all looked disgusted.

"And we never caught sight of him!" exclaimed Tommy.

Will now walked around to the front of the shaft and looked down. The
saw which had been used lay shining on the lower level.

"I'm going down after that!" he said in a moment.

"Yes, you are!" whispered Tommy.

"Got to have it!" insisted Will.

"Well, go on and get it, then," laughed Sandy. "You've got to show me!"

"I don't think he cut the rungs between this level and the next one,"
George interposed. "It may be safe to use the lower ladders."

"I can soon find out!"