u had more pluck in you, Joe."

"That's what I thought about you, Ydoll."

"So did I," said Gwyn, frankly; "and all the time I'm as great a coward
as you are. I say, though, doesn't it show a fellow up when he gets
into trouble? Can't show me up in the dark, though, can it?"

"Oh, I don't know; I only know I feel horribly miserable. Let's go to
sleep and forget it all."

"Sha'n't," shouted Gwyn, making an effort over himself. "I won't be
such a jolly miserable coward, and you sha'n't neither. We'll do
something."

"Ay, it's all very well to talk, but what can we do?--cooey?"

"No good, or I'd cooey loud enough to bring some of the stones down. I
say, though, isn't it wonderful how solid it all is--no stones falling
from the roof."

"How could they fall when there are none to fall? Isn't it all cut
through the solid rock?"

"Humph! yes, I suppose so; but we have found scarcely anything to fall
over."

"No," said Joe, sarcastically, "it's a lovely place. I wish the beastly
old mine had been burnt before we had anything to do with it."

"Oh, I say, what a plucked 'un you are, Joey. Breaking down over a bit
of trouble. I feel ever so much better now, for I'm sure the dad has
found his way out."

"I was thinking about my father."

"Well, so was I. My father wouldn't go out without yours. They're too
good old chums to forsake one another; and you see if before long they
don't both come with a lot of men carrying baskets--cold roast chicken,
slices of ham, bread and butter, and a kettle and wood to light the fire
and make some tea."

"I say! don't, don't, don't," cried Joe. "I was bad enough before, now
you're making me feel savagely hungry. But I say, Ydoll, do you really
think they've got out?"

"I'm sure of it."

"And not lost themselves so that they won't be found till it's too
late?"

"Get out! Too late? They'll be all right, and so shall we; we're only
lost for a bit in the dark, and we don't mind a bit. I don't now. I
feel as plucky as a gamecock. And I say, Joe."

"Well?"

"Tom Dinass?"

"What about him?--a beast!"

"What we're going to do when we see the sneak again. I say, it won't be
the first time we've had a set-to with him."

"Oh, I should like to--"

"Ah!"

Gwyn uttered a wild cry, as if something from out of the darkness had
seized him; and as the cry went echoing down the long zigzag passage in
which they were, Joe uttered a gasp, and in spite of his desire