of the drowned mine.

At the foot of the slope the exploring party found a rude but strong
flat-boat that the mine boss had caused to be built and sent down for
this very purpose. Sitting in it with bent bodies, for there was but
little space beneath the roof of the chamber, they pushed off across the
black waters and began a voyage so weird and mysterious that at first
their thoughts found no expression in words.

All about them floated traces of the disaster; here the body of a
drowned mule, and there a bale of hay, or a quantity of timbers that,
wrenched and broken, told of the awful force of the waters. These and
many like tokens of destruction came slowly within the narrow circle of
light from their lamps, and vanished again behind them.

After a careful search along the opposite side of the chamber, they
located gangway No. 1, in which the water was still within two inches of
the roof.

"It'll be some time afore we can get in there, sir," said Tom Evert.

"Yes, Tom, three days at least, perhaps more."

"T' big breast lies in here on this side t' gangway."

"I know it, Tom; and if you'll pick out the spot that promises easiest
working, we'll open a heading into it. We may find them there. If we
don't we can work our way through it, above the water level, to the wall
that divides it from the next one. Some of them are almost sure to be
there if they're still alive."

"That's what I think, sir; and if you say so, we'll start in right here.
Can you tell just how far in t' breast lies?"

"If that's all, we'll soon knock a hole through that, and then, please
God, I'll find my crippled lad, an' t' brave one that went back after
him. If we find 'em dead, old Tom Evert don't never want to come out
alive. He couldn't."

"Never fear, Tom, we'll find them alive," said the mine boss, cheerily.
"I have full faith that we shall. If they're only in the big breast
we'll have them out in three days more. Now, men, drive those staples
into the wall, make the boat fast to them, and pitch in. As soon as
you've cut a shelf to work on, I'll go back for fresh hands. This job's
going to be done with half-hour reliefs."

Jack Hobson held the staples in position while Tom Evert, lying on his
side, drove them into the wall of solid coal with a dozen blows from his
heavy hammer.

These were the blows heard faintly by Derrick Sterling on the farther
side of that massive wall; and the welcome sound carried with it new
life and h