way my life."

"Gahn!" shouted a man. "Your life aren't worth more nor no one else's.
Who are you?"

"Never you mind who I am," growled Dinass, "I aren't going to chuck away
my life, and so I tell you."

"Who wants you to chuck away your life? Go on down, like a man," said
the engineer.

"You go yourself; I'll take care of the engines," cried Dinass.

"That will do," said Gwyn, quietly. "Let us have candles, please,
quick."

"Oh, you're not going down alone, young gen'lemen," said the man at the
doorway who had spoken the most. "Some on us'll go with you if he
won't, but the guv'nors made him second like to Master Hardock, and he
ought to go, and he will, too, or we'll make him."

"Oh, will you?" cried Dinass, fiercely; "and how will you make me?"

"Why, if you don't go down like a man along with the young masters,
we'll tie you neck and crop, and stuff you in the skep, and two more of
us'll come, too, and make you go first. What do you say to that?"

"Say you daren't," cried Dinass.

"What do you say, lads?" cried the man.

"Oh, we'll make him go," came in chorus.

By this time, as Dinass stood there angry and defiant, the engineer had
produced a candle-box and lit a couple of lanthorns, when Gwyn and Joe
each took one, and stepped into the empty skep, followed by Grip, who
curled up by their feet.

"Can't go like that, young gents. Them caps won't do. Here, come out.
Who'll lend young masters hats?"

A couple of the strong leathern hats were eagerly offered, but only one
would fit, and a fresh selection had to be made.

"Better have flannel jackets, sir," said the engineer to Gwyn.

"No, no, we can't wait for anything else. Come, Joe. Now let us down."

He raised the iron rail which protected the hole, and again stepped into
the skep, followed by Joe, lanthorn in hand, and with the candle-box
slung from his shoulder.

"Now, Tom Dinass," cried the engineer, "I'm with you."

"Nay, I don't go this time," was the surly reply, as Dinass looked
sharply round at the men who had crowded into the shed, and in response
to a meaning nod from the engineer began to edge nearer to him.

"Are you quite ready, Joe? Lower away," cried Gwyn.

"Wait a minute, sir," said the engineer, "you aren't quite ready. Now,
then, Dinass, be a man."

"Oh, I'm man enough," said the miner, taking out his pipe and tobacco,
"but I don't go down this time, I tell you."

"Yes, you do," said the man who had spoken.