ed up into a sitting posture, and then made for the
light.

For he knew now that it was not the lighthouse lanthorn on Jagger Rock
ten miles away, but the common lanthorn he had brought down into the
mine some time before, and set about ten feet off, where it could not be
kicked over when they turned over in their sleep--the sleep into which
he had plunged at once as if into a stupor.

It was from this stupor that he had now awakened to turn from the sultry
heat of the mine, chilled to the heart with horror, for the fresh candle
he had lit had burned down into the socket, and was giving the final
flickers before going out, and they had not a match to strike and light
another.

Stretching out his trembling hands, he felt in the black darkness for
the lanthorn, touched it after two or three ineffectual trials, and
snatched it back, feeling his fingers burnt, just as the light gave a
final flare, the jar of his touch upon the lanthorn being sufficient to
quench the tiny flame.

In the horror of the moment Gwyn uttered a loud cry, and the result was
a quick movement close at hand, followed by a voice saying,--

"Yes, father, all right. I'll get up and fetch it. Is the pain so
bad?"

Gwyn tried to speak, but no words came.

"Did you call, father?"

There was perfect silence in the stifling place, and Joe Jollivet spoke
again, drowsily now.

"Must have dreamt it. But--hallo--Oh, my back! What ever's the matter
with it, and--here! hallo! What does it all mean? I must have been
walking in my sleep."

"Oh, Joe, Joe!" cried his companion.

"Ydoll! You there? I say--what--what--where are we?"

"Don't you understand?--where we lay down when we could get no farther."

There was the sound of some one drawing a long gasping breath, and then
silence again, till Joe spoke in a piteous voice.

"I was dreaming that father was taken ill in the night, and he called
me. Oh, Ydoll, old chap, my head feels so queer. Then we haven't found
them? I don't feel as if I could recollect anything. It's all black
like. We came down to find them, didn't we?"

"Yes," said Gwyn, "and walked till you stumbled and fell."

"I did? Yes, I recollect now. I was regularly beaten. We came such a
long way for hours and hours. Then we've both been to sleep?"

"I suppose so."

"But why is it so dark?"

"The candle I set up burned out."

"Well, light another. You have some more."

"What am I to light one with?" groaned Gw