ntlemen
would like to accompany us to where the machines are working they can
follow us."

The others seized the opportunity.

Ivan made them put on miners' dress. They were then hoisted into the
crane, and descended into the shaft. Each one had a safety-lamp
fastened to his belt and wore a thick felt hat.

Ivan led them through the different windings of the pit until they
came to the iron door of the cavern in which, not long since, the
pond used periodically to come and go. The middle of this space was
now filled by a large mill-like machine, which was kept in motion by
an endless strap worked from above. In this mill some substance was
being ground, and, when reduced to fine powder, was carried, by means
of certain mechanical contrivances, through a pipe and over a bridge,
where it disappeared from view.

Ivan led his guests through still more tortuous ways. Once they
descended the shaft of a well; once they mounted high ladders, finding
themselves when they had done so in a small chamber, not measuring six
feet in circumference, in which two miners were waiting--an old and a
young man.

"Now," said Ivan to Spitzhase, "here is our dressing-room; we must put
on our costume."

"What! have we another change of clothes?"

"Yes, we have to don a coat of mail in the tournament in which we are
going to take part; we require armor."

At a sign from him the miners came forward and began to prepare the
two gentlemen. The equipment was something similar to that of a
fireman--a coat and stockings, the outer stuff being made of asbestos,
while the space between that and the lining was filled with pulverized
charcoal; the hands and arms were also covered with long gloves made
of asbestos, the fingers being air-proof.

"We could pass for knights," said Spitzhase, jestingly.

"Wait until you see our helmets," returned Ivan.

The miners brought two helmets made of glass, each of which had a
hollow space with twelve joints and three apertures. Ivan explained
the use of these.

"The place into which we are about to descend is full of coal-gas. We
must have an apparatus which will enable us to pass through fire and
to dive under water."

Spitzhase began to repent that he had been so venturesome, but he was
ashamed to turn back now, and he had a certain amount of pluck.

"We need," continued Ivan, "an apparatus which is a combination of the
diver's and the fireman's dress. To the glass helmet, which will be
attached t