The Project Gutenberg EBook of Derrick Sterling, by Kirk Monroe

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Title: Derrick Sterling
A Story of the Mines

Author: Kirk Monroe

Release Date: June 19, 2007 [EBook #21863]
[Last updated on October 24, 2007]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DERRICK STERLING ***

Produced by David Edwards, Brett Fishburne, Mary Meehan
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net

DERRICK STERLING

A STORY OF THE MINES

BY KIRK MUNROE

Author of "THE FLAMINGO FEATHER"

[Illustration: IN THE BURNING BREAKER.]

NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1888, BY HARPER & BROTHERS
COPYRIGHT, 19l6, BY KIRK MUNROE

PRINTED IN THE U. S. A.

CONTENTS

I. IN THE BURNING BREAKER

II. A FEARFUL RIDE

III. THE MINE BOSS TAKES DERRICK INTO HIS CONFIDENCE

IV. INTRODUCING HARRY, THE BUMPING-MULE

V. ATTACKED BY ENEMIES, AND LOST IN THE MINE

VI. THE SECRET MEETING.--A PLUNGE DOWN AN AIR SHAFT

VII. A CRIPPLE'S BRAVE DEED

VIII. DERRICK STERLING'S SPLENDID REVENGE

IX. SOCRATES, THE WISE MINE RAT

X. IN THE OLD WORKINGS.--MISLED BY AN ALTERED LINE

XI. A FATAL EXPLOSION OF FIRE-DAMP

XII. THE MINE BOSS IN A DILEMMA

XIII. LADIES IN THE MINE.--HARRY MULE'S SAD MISHAP

XIV. A LIFE IS SAVED AND DERRICK IS PROMOTED

XV. A "SQUEEZE" AND A FALL OF ROCK

XVI. BURSTING OF AN UNDERGROUND RESERVOIR

XVII. IMPRISONED IN THE FLOODED MINE

XVIII. TO THE RESCUE!--A MESSAGE FROM THE PRISONERS

XIX. RESTORED TO DAYLIGHT

XX. GOOD-BY TO THE COLLIERY

ILLUSTRATIONS

In the burning breaker

"Here, lad, lead this mule down the rest of the way, will ye?"

Suddenly there came a blinding flash, a roar as of a cannon

Good-by to the colliery

DERRICK STERLING: A STORY OF THE MINES

CHAPTER I

IN THE BURNING BREAKER

"Fire! Fire in the breaker! Oh, the boys! the poor boys!" These cries,
and many like them--wild, heartrending, and full of fear--were heard on
all sides. They served to empty the houses