e
lowered him into the shaft, and set him at work shoring up the sides, so
that others could work without danger of the earth caving in.

We had just got him employed, when Bill, the man who had first appealed
to the inspector for help, again joined us, having been absent in search
of friends to lend assistance.

"I can't get a man to aid me," he cried, "unless I promise to pay them
for their labor."

"Well, then, you must pay them," briefly rejoined the inspector, who,
with coat off, was hard at work cutting timber in proper lengths for
shores and supports.

"And ruin myself by so doing," the heartless wretch exclaimed, in a
sulky manner, and with the expression of a fiend.

The inspector made no reply, but continued his labor, and without delay
we joined him.

"I don't suppose these young fellers would be willin' to allow me two
shillin's per hour for workin', would they?" the impudent scamp asked,
appealing to the inspector.

"Hark ye, Bill," Mr. Brown said; "if you are not stripped and in that
shaft in less than five minutes, I'll not only drive you from the mines,
but I'll levy on your property to pay all the expenses of this job. I
know where you keep your dust, and can lay my hand on it at any time."

The brute, without a moment's delay, removed his heavy guernsey frock
which he wore, and was lowered to a place beside the Scotchman.

By the time we had got fairly at work, we were joined by Smith, who had
remained behind to attend to the wants of his cattle, and the honest
fellow, without a moment's delay, lent us his powerful aid.

The novelty of seeing three strangers at work endeavoring to save the
lives of unfortunate miners, began to attract attention, and we soon
found that a large crowd was assembling.

Fred, in his eager and impetuous manner, appealed for volunteers; and he
painted the duty that man owes to man in such fine colors, that a dozen
or twenty burly fellows presented themselves, and demanded a chance to
assist in the benevolent work.

It was a great triumph for us, and so Mr. Brown informed us, for he
declared that he had never known the people of Ballarat so liberal
before. Just as the old Scotchman was about to leave the shaft for
dinner, he requested silence, as he thought he heard the voices of the
imprisoned men.

We all listened, and found that he was not mistaken, and the knowledges
that I the men were alive was a sufficient incentive to urge us all to
renewed exertion.