frowned angrily as he spoke.

"It's too bad," he said; "those two sit there as coolly and contentedly
as if nothing could be the matter. I say, Dinass," he cried aloud, "do
you think there is anything wrong?"

"No, sir," said the man, coolly, "I don't. They're only having a good
long prowl. You'll hear 'em shout to be taken up directly."

But the boys did not feel satisfied, and hung about the opening, growing
more and more uneasy, though Gwyn kept the best face on the matter.

"Don't you fidget," he said, "father was only joking, of course, about
time; but he knew they'd be down a long while, and he meant to be.
They're all right."

"They're not all right," said Joe, quickly. "They can't be, or we
should have heard from them. They've either fallen down some hole, or
the roof has come down and crushed them, or they've lost their way in
some wild out-of-the-way part of the mine. Let's call for volunteers,
and go down and search for them."

"Hush! Be quiet! Don't be hysterical," whispered Gwyn; "there's no
need to call for volunteers. I feel sure I know what it means; this old
mine must be very big, perhaps winds about for miles in all directions;
and they're only having a good long hunt now they are down. They'd
laugh at us if we were to send volunteers."

"Send volunteers down!" said Joe.

"Well, lead them then. Wait a bit and see."

"They've been overcome by choke-damp."

"Nonsense! that's only in coal pits. Don't let these two see what a
fright we're in."

"Don't see that you're in any fright," said Joe, bitterly. "You take it
coolly enough."

"Outside," said Gwyn; "perhaps I feel as much as you do, only I don't
show it. Joe, I wouldn't have my mother know about this for all the
world--it would frighten her to death; and if we get talking about
volunteers going down, someone is sure to go and tell her that we're in
trouble, and she'll come on."

"But we must do something; they may be dying for want of help."

"Don't," whispered Gwyn, angrily; "you're as bad as a girl; try and
think about how they are situated. Perhaps there are miles of passages
below there, and they would be hours wandering about. Of course they go
slowly."

"Couldn't be miles of passages," said Joe, piteously.

"Think the mine's very big, Dinass?" said Gwyn, quietly.

"Oh, yes, sir, bigger than I thought for."

"Some mines are very far to the end, aren't they?"

"Miles," said the man calmly, and Gwyn gave his