ry. One might well believe that it had been pierced by the hand of
man, that the pick and mattock had emptied it in the working of a new
vein. The explorers question whether, by a strange chance, they had not
been transported into some ancient mine, of the existence of which even
the oldest miners in the county had ever known.

No! It was merely that the geological layers had left this passage when
the secondary earths were in course of formation. Perhaps some torrent
had formerly dashed through it; but now it was as dry as if it had been
cut some thousand feet lower, through granite rocks. At the same time,
the air circulated freely, which showed that certain natural vents
placed it in communication with the exterior atmosphere.

This observation, made by the engineer, was correct, and it was evident
that the ventilation of the new mine would be easily managed. As to the
fire-damp which had lately filtered through the schist, it seemed to
have been contained in a pocket now empty, and it was certain that
the atmosphere of the gallery was quite free from it. However, Harry
prudently carried only the safety lamp, which would insure light for
twelve hours.

James Starr and his companions now felt perfectly happy. All their
wishes were satisfied. There was nothing but coal around them. A sort
of emotion kept them silent; even Simon Ford restrained himself. His joy
overflowed, not in long phrases, but in short ejaculations.

It was perhaps imprudent to venture so far into the crypt. Pooh! they
never thought of how they were to get back.

The gallery was practicable, not very winding. They met with no noxious
exhalations, nor did any chasm bar the path. There was no reason for
stopping for a whole hour; James Starr, Madge, Harry, and Simon Ford
walked on, though there was nothing to show them what was the exact
direction of this unknown tunnel.

And they would no doubt have gone farther still, if they had not
suddenly come to the end of the wide road which they had followed since
their entrance into the mine.

The gallery ended in an enormous cavern, neither the height nor depth
of which could be calculated. At what altitude arched the roof of this
excavation--at what distance was its opposite wall--the darkness totally
concealed; but by the light of the lamp the explorers could discover
that its dome covered a vast extent of still water--pond or lake--whose
picturesque rocky banks were lost in obscurity.

"Halt!" e