sure, called
upon God to save him alive. He pressed back against the pit side, while
the crumbling timber gave under him and threatened to let him down any
moment, but the action saved his life, for the time being, for as he
moved, down came another stone and then another. Where the joists of the
stage went in, however, was a bit of cover for the unfortunate chap--just
enough to keep him clear of the danger from above, and there he stuck,
pressed to the rock like a lichen, with great stones going by so close
that they curled his hair. All was black as pitch and the young devil up
over had no thought that his poor uncle was still alive. Amos uttered no
sound, and presently, his work done as he thought, Ernest began the next
job and Gregory heard him making all snug overhead. Soon the ray of
starlight was blotted out and the pit mouth blocked up with timber first
and stones afterwards; and Amos doubted not that his young relation had
made the spot look as usual and blocked it so as nothing less than the
trump of Doom would ever unseal it again.

And even if that weren't so, he knew he could never climb up the five and
twenty feet or more he'd fallen. Indeed, at that moment the poor chap
heartily wished he was at the bottom so dead as a hammer and battered to
pulp and out of his misery. For what remained? Nought but a hideous end
long drawn out. In fact he felt exceeding sorry for himself, as well he
might; but then his nature came to the rescue, and he told himself that
where there was life there was hope; and he turned over the situation with
his usual pluck and judgment and axed himself if there was anything left
that he might do, to put up a fight against such cruel odds.

And he found there was but one thing alone. He couldn't go up and he felt
only too sure the only part of him as would ever get out of that living
grave was his immortal soul, when the end came; but he reckoned it might
be possible to get down. The only other course was to bide where he was,
wait till morning, and then lift his voice and bawl in hope some fellow
creature might hear and succour. But as the only fellow being like to hear
him was his nephew, there didn't seem much promise to that. He waited
another half hour till he knew his murderer was certainly gone home; then
he lighted matches and with the aid of the last two left in his box
scanned the sides of the pit under him. They were rough hewn, and given
light he reckoned he could go down by