nd he checked the wheel as he spoke,
just as an empty skep of the same size as that which had descended made
its appearance and came to a standstill.

"Right!" came up from below, in a hollow whisper, and Gwyn drew a deep
breath.

"You two ought to have gone with 'em," said Dinass, "and had a look
round."

"Oh, don't bother," cried Gwyn, petulantly. "I suppose we shall have
our turn."

"No offence meant, sir," said the man. "Better let me go down with you.
Dessay I can show you a lot about the mine."

"I suppose it will be all one long passage from the bottom," said Joe.

"Not it, sir," said Dinass, holding out his bare arm, and spreading his
fingers. "It'll go like that. Lode runs along for a bit like my wrist,
and then spreads out like my fingers here, or more like the root of a
tree, and they pick along there to get the stuff where it runs richest.
But you'll see. We don't know yet; but, judging from the water pumped
out, this mine must wander a very long way. There's no knowing how
far."

"I say, how long will they stop down?" said Joe.

"Oh, I don't know," replied Gwyn. "Hours, I daresay."

"Plenty of time for you young gents to take a boat and have half-a-day
with the bass. There's been lots jumping out of the water against Ydoll
Point. I should say they'd be well on the feed."

"That's likely!" said Gwyn. "You don't suppose we shall leave here till
they come up?"

"Oh, I didn't know, sir. Makes no difference to me; only it'll be
rather dull waiting."

Grip uttered a low, uneasy growl again, and looked up at his master, and
then went to the opening and peeped down.

"Like us to send him down in the skep, sir?" said Dinass, grinning.
"Better not, p'r'aps, as he might lose his way."

"No fear of Grip losing his way--eh, Joe?"

Joe shook his head.

"He'd find his way back from anywhere if he had walked over the ground.
Wouldn't you, Grip?"

The dog gave a sharp bark as he turned his head, and then looked down
again, whining and uneasy.

"What's the matter, old boy?" said Gwyn. "It's all right, old man,
they've gone down. Will you go with me?"

The dog uttered a volley of barks, then turned to Dinass and growled.

"Quiet, sir!" cried Gwyn. "Look here, Tom Dinass, you must tease him,
or he wouldn't be so disagreeable to you."

"Me? Me tease him, sir! Not me."

"Well, take my advice," said Gwyn, "don't. He's a splendid dog to his
friends; so you make good friends with him a