nce to this
gallery, being completely concealed by stones and brushwood, was
invisible from without; at the time of their search, therefore, the
magistrates had been able to discover nothing.

A few days afterwards, James Starr, guided by Harry, came himself to
inspect this curious natural opening into the coal mine. "Well,"
said he, "here is enough to convince the most superstitious among us.
Farewell to all their brownies, goblins, and fire-maidens now!"

"I hardly think, Mr. Starr, we ought to congratulate ourselves," replied
Harry. "Whatever it is we have instead of these things, it can't be
better, and may be worse than they are."

"That's true, Harry," said the engineer; "but what's to be done? It is
plain that, whatever the beings are who hide in the mine, they reach
the surface of the earth by this passage. No doubt it was the light of
torches waved by them during that dark and stormy night which attracted
the MOTALA towards the rocky coast, and like the wreckers of former
days, they would have plundered the unfortunate vessel, had it not been
for Jack Ryan and his friends. Anyhow, so far it is evident, and here
is the mouth of the den. As to its occupants, the question is--Are they
here still?"

"I say yes; because Nell trembles when we mention them--yes, because
Nell will not, or dare not, speak about them," answered Harry in a tone
of decision.

Harry was surely in the right. Had these mysterious denizens of the pit
abandoned it, or ceased to visit the spot, what reason could the girl
have had for keeping silence?

James Starr could not rest till he had penetrated this mystery. He
foresaw that the whole future of the new excavations must depend upon
it. Renewed and strict precautions were therefore taken. The authorities
were informed of the discovery of the entrance. Watchers were placed
among the ruins of the castle. Harry himself lay hid for several nights
in the thickets of brushwood which clothed the hill-side.

Nothing was discovered--no human being emerged from the opening. So
most people came to the conclusion that the villains had been finally
dislodged from the mine, and that, as to Nell, they must suppose her to
be dead at the bottom of the shaft where they had left her.

While it remained unworked, the mine had been a safe enough place of
refuge, secure from all search or pursuit. But now, circumstances being
altered, it became difficult to conceal this lurking-place, and it might
reason