d him, and choked him again. He
walked slowly up the plane. When he reached the head he was tired and
his limbs were trembling. He went across to the bench by the wheel and
sat down on it. He thought to wait here until help should come.

He felt sure that he would be rescued; miners never did these things
by halves, and he knew that, sooner or later, he should leave the mine
alive. The most that he dreaded now was the waiting, the loneliness,
the darkness, the hunger perhaps, the suffering it might be, from
smoke and foul air.

In the darkness back of him he heard a noise. It sounded like heavy
irregular stepping. He was startled at first, but it soon occurred
to him that the sounds were made by the mule which he had left there
untied.

He was right. In another moment Jasper appeared with his head
stretched forward, sniffing the air curiously, and looking in a
frightened way at Ralph.

"Hello, Jasper!"

The boy spoke cheerily, because he was relieved from sudden fright,
and because he was glad to see in the mine a living being whom he
knew, even though it was only a mule.

The beast came forward and pushed his nose against Ralph's breast
as if seeking sympathy, and the boy put up his hand and rubbed the
animal's face.

"We're shut in, Jasper," he said, "the breaker's burned, an' things
afire have tumbled down the shaft an' we can't get out till they clean
it up an' come for us."

The mule raised his head and looked around him, then he rested his
nose against Ralph's shoulder again.

"We'll stay together, won't we, old fellow? We'll keep each other
company till they come for us. I'm glad I found you, Jasper; I'm very
glad."

He patted the beast's neck affectionately; then he removed the bridle
from his head, unbuckled the harness and slipped it down to the
ground, and tried to get the collar off; but it would not come. He
turned it and twisted it and pulled it, but he could not get it over
the animal's ears. He gave up trying at last, and after laying the
remainder of the harness up against the wheel-frame, he sat down on
the bench again.

Except the occasional quick stamping of Jasper's feet, there was no
sound, and Ralph sat for a long time immersed in thought.

The mule had been gazing contemplatively down the plane into the
darkness; finally he turned and faced toward the interior of the mine.
It was evident that he did not like the contaminated air that was
creeping up the slope. Ralph, too, soon f