d they started immediately to follow their last track back.
They passed up and down all the chambers in the tier till they reached
the point, at the upper limit of the fall, where Ralph had turned into
the foot-way. Their search had been a long and tiresome one and had
yielded to them no results.

They began to appreciate the fact that a thorough exploration of the
mine could not be made in a short time by two worn-out men. Billy
blamed himself for not having thought sooner to send for other and
fresher help.

"Ye mus' go now, Mike," he said. "Mayhap it'd take days wi' us twa
here alone, an' the lad's been a-wanderin' aroun' so."

But Conway demurred.

"You're the one to go," he said. "You can't stan' it in here much
longer, an' I can. You're here at the risk o' your life. Go on out
with ye an' get a bit o' the fresh air. I'll stay and hunt for the
boy till the new men comes."

But Bachelor Billy was in earnest.

"I canna do it," he said. "I would na get farther fra the lad for
warlds, an' him lost an' a-dyin' mayhap. I'll stan' it. Never ye fear
for me! Go on, Mike, go on quick!"

Conway turned reluctantly to go.

"Hold out for an hour," he shouted back, "an' we'll be with ye!"

Before the sound of his footsteps had died away, Billy had picked up
his lamp again and started down on the easterly side of the fall,
making little side excursions as he went, hunting for foot-prints on
the floor of the mine.

When he came to the heading, he turned to go back to the face of the
fall. It was but a few steps. There was a little stream of water
running down one side of the passage and he lay down by it to drink.
Half hidden in the stream he espied a miner's lamp. He reached for it
in sudden surprise. He saw that it had been lately in use. He started
to his feet and moved up closer to the fall, looking into the dark
places under the rock. His foot struck something; it was the oil-can.
He picked it up and examined it. There was blood on it; and both can
and lamp were empty. He looked up at the face of the fall and then
the truth came slowly into his mind. The boy had attempted to climb
through that wilderness of rock, had reached the precipice, had fallen
to the floor, had spilled his oil, and had wandered off into the
dreadful darkness, hurt and helpless.

"Oh, the puir lad!" he said, aloud. "Oh, the puir dear lad! He canna
be far fra here," he continued, "not far. Ralph! Ralph!"

He waited a moment in silence, but