without the Bible, because God tells us in it what we
are to do, and what we're not to do," he went on impetuously. "I was
just thinking, as we came along down here with our lamps, about that
text, 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' If we
had not had lamps we should have been groping about in the dark,
stumbling over things, knocking up against the props, hurting ourselves,
and losing our way; but our lamps showed us the right path, and how to
keep out of danger. And we should go groping and stumbling through the
world in darkness, too, falling into all sorts of sin and temptation,
hurting our souls, and losing ourselves altogether, if we had not the
light of God's word to guide us."

"Where do you get all your learning from? you seem to know a deal for a
boy," said Brownlee.

"Oh, father reads these things from the good book every day. I dare say
he feels them comforting to himself when he's in the pit. Besides, I've
been to a Sunday school."

"Well, they are true," said Brownlee, thoughtfully; he held up his lamp
and looked at it. "For twenty years this has been the only sort of lamp
I've troubled myself about, but please God, if it's not too late----"
Charlie could not hear the rest, for he waved his hand and followed the
other men.

At the end of the twelve hours Charlie was preparing to follow some men
and boys to the shaft, when Bob White made his appearance. "It's rather
queer," said Bob, shyly, "finding your way about here; will you go up
with me?"

"Thank you," said Charlie heartily, setting off with him, and talking
away as freely as he could to put Bob at his ease.

You may be sure Charlie was very glad to get home and rest after he had
told his father and mother what he had seen and done. So ended his first
day down the mine.

CHAPTER X.

A NEW FRIEND.

After the conversation with Brownlee about the Bible, Charlie took his
pocket Bible down the mine regularly; his father wished him to read a
little every day at his dinner-time. He was one of those people who
never like to waste a minute, and in his dinner-time he managed
generally to have something to read that was worth reading. Bob was
really grateful to Charlie for interfering in his behalf, and lost no
opportunity of showing it. It was astonishing how he improved: so much
good in him that had been lying dormant was called out under Charlie's
better influence. Sometimes he seemed half ashamed of his good
beha