bed. When he raised his burly
form, after fixing the stone, Edgar stepped forward, and, touching him
on the shoulder, held out the slate, whereon was written in a bold
running hand:--

"Joe, I'm going off to get engaged, and after that, as soon as possible,
to be married."

Through the window of his helmet, Joe looked at his employer with an
expression of pleased surprise. Then he took the slate, obliterated the
information on it, and printed in an equally bold, but very sprawly
hand:--

"Indeed? I wish you joy, sir."

Thereupon Edgar took the slate and wrote:--

"Thank you, Joe. Now, I leave you in charge. Keep a sharp eye on the
men--especially on that lazy fellow who has a tendency to sleep and
shirk duty. If the rock in the fair-way is got ready before my return,
blast it at once, without waiting for me. You will find one of Siebe
and Gorman's voltaic batteries in my lodging, also a frictional
electrical machine, which you can use if you prefer it. In the store
there is a large supply of tin-cases for gunpowder and compressed
gun-cotton charges. There also you will find one of Heinke and Davis's
magneto-electric exploders. I leave it entirely to your own judgment
which apparatus to use. All sorts are admirable in their way; quite
fresh, and in good working order. Have you anything to say to me before
I go?"

"All right, sir," replied Joe, in his sprawly hand; "I'll attend to
orders. When do you start, and when do you expect to be back?"

"I start immediately. The day of my return is uncertain, but I'll write
to you."

Rubbing this out, Joe wrote:--

"You'll p'r'aps see my old 'ooman, sir. If you do, just give her my
respects, an' say the last pair o' divin' drawers she knitted for me was
fust-rate. Tightish, if anything, round the waist, but a bit o'
rope-yarn putt that all right--they're warm an' comfortable. Good-bye,
I wish you joy again, sir."

"Good-bye," replied Edgar.

It was impossible that our hero could follow his inclination, and nod
with his stiff-necked iron head-piece at parting. He therefore made the
motion of kissing his hand to his trusty man, and giving the requisite
signal, spread his arms like a pair of wings, and flew up to the realms
of light!

Joe grinned broadly, and made the motion of kissing his hand to the
ponderous soles of his employer's leaden boots as they passed him, then,
turning to the granite masonry at his side, he bent down and resumed his
wor