Sappers and Miners Part 25

"Of course not; but I want you to stop up those holes."

"You don't know what you're talking about, squire, or else it's to throw me off the scent."

"I know the steam's escaping horribly."

"Yes; all waste, through them not finishing that pump."

"Then try and stop it."

"Stop it? Don't I tell you there's too much pressure on as it is?"

"It's the safety valves open, Ydoll," said Joe, with his lips to his companion's ear.

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Gwyn, as he grasped the truth. "I thought something was wrong."

"I know something was wrong, and without thinking, young squire," said the man. "But you take my advice, and don't you meddle with anything here again."

"I have told you we did not touch anything; but I suppose it's no use to talk to you," said Gwyn, warmly.

"No, sir, not a bit," replied the man, gruffly; "and I shall speak to the governors about you two coming meddling."

"And I shall speak to my father about your not being here taking care of the engines," said Gwyn, as a parting shot. "If you had been at your duty, no one would have had a chance to meddle. So we will see what he says."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

AN ATTACK OF HEROES.

"That was a topper for him, Ydoll," said Joe, as they stood outside.

"Phew! what a hot, stuffy place it is!"

"We were the first there, Joe," said Gwyn, who had not heard his companion's words. "But what was he going to do?"

"Who going to do--that chap?"

"Yes. I'm sure he meant mischief of some kind. I'll speak to father.

He won't interfere with the people coming to-day, because it's like a sight, this beginning: but afterwards he'll have to give orders for no one but the work-people to be about."

"Hullo, what's this?" cried Joe.

For a shout arose, and a man stood forward from the crowd, making signals.

"I know: they want the steam turned on."

Gwyn stepped back to the mouth of the temporary engine-house, told the driver, and he connected a band with the shaft; this started another long band, and the power was communicated to the pump, with the result that a huge wheel began to turn, a ma.s.sive rod was set in motion, and a burst of cheers arose; for, with a steady, heavy, clanking sound, the first gallons of water were raised, to fall gushing into the cistern-like box, and then begin to flow steadily along the adit; the boys, after a glance or two down the deep shaft, now one intricacy of upright ladder and platform, hurrying off to where a series of ladders had been affixed to the face of the cliff, down which they went, to reach a strongly-built platform at the mouth of the adit.

It was rather different from the spot on which Gwyn had knelt a few months before, waiting for help to come and rescue him from his perilous position, and he thought of it, as he descended the carefully-secured ladders, connected with the rock face by means of strong iron stanchions.

"I say, Joe," he cried, as they descended, "better than hanging at the end of a rope. Why, it's safe as safe."

"So long as you don't let go," was the reply from above him.

"Well, don't you let go, or you'll be knocking me off. I say, I wonder what the birds think of it all."

"Don't seem to mind it much," replied Joe. "But I suppose we sha'n't leave these ladders here when the mine-shaft is all right."

"No, because we shall go along the adit, that way. Father says Sam Hardock wants the gallery widened a little, so that a tramway can be laid down, and then he'll run trucks along it, and tilt all the rubbish into the sea."

"Yes, young gentlemen, that's the way," said a voice below them. "So you're coming down to have a look?"

"I say, Sam, you startled me," cried Gwyn. "Well, how does the pump work?"

"Splendidly, sir; here's a regular stream of water coming along, and running into the sea like a cascade, as they call it. Only ten more steps, sir. That's it! Mind how you come there. None too much room.

We must have a strong rail all round here, or there'll be some accident.

Two more steps, Mr Joe. That's the way! Now then, sir, don't this look business-like?"

The boys were standing now on the platform, whose struts were sloping to the rock below, and through an opening between them and the mouth of the adit the water came running out, bright and clear, to plunge down the face of the cliff in a volume, which promised well for draining the mine.

"Why, it won't take long to empty the place at this rate," cried Joe, as he knelt upon the platform and gazed down at the falling water, which dropped sheer for about twenty feet, then struck the rock, glanced off, and fell the rest of the way in a broken sheet of foam, which rapidly changed into a heavy rain.

"No, sir, it won't take very long," said Hardock. "A few weeks, I suppose; because, as it lowers, we shall have to put down fresh machinery to reach it, and so on, right to the sumph at the bottom."

"Oh, not a few weeks," said Gwyn, in a tone of doubt. "Well, say months, then, sir. n.o.body can tell. If you gave me a plan of the mine on paper, with the number and size of the galleries, I could tell you pretty exactly; but, of course, we don't know. There may be miles of workings at different levels; and, on the other hand, there may be not-- only the shaft, and that we can soon master."

"But suppose that there's a hole into it from the sea," said Joe, looking up from where he knelt, with a droll look of inquiry in his eyes.

"Why, then we shall want more pumps, and a fresh place to put the water in," cried Gwyn, laughing. "Rather too big a job for you, that, Sam Hardock."

"Oh, I don't know, sir. We might p'r'aps find out where the gashly hole was, and put a big cork in it. But let's try first and see. What do you say to coming through to the shaft, and having a look whether the water's beginning to lower?"

"But we shall get out feet so wet."

"Bah! what's a drop o' water, my lad, when there's a big bit o' business on? Have off your shoes and stockings, then. I've got a light."

"Will you come, Joe?"

"Of course, if you're going," said the boy, st.u.r.dily, as if it were a matter beyond question. "But you haven't told Sam about the engine-house."

"What about it?" said the man, anxiously. "What!" he continued, on hearing what they had noticed. "That's bad, my lads, that's bad, and they mean mischief. But I don't see what harm he could have done to the fire, only burnt himself--and sarve him right. Wanted to see, perhaps, how our bylers was set. I know that chap, though--met him more than once, when I've been here and there in different towns, talking to folk of a night over a pipe--when I was looking for work, you know. One of those chaps, he seemed to be, as is always hanging about with both ears wide open to see what they can ketch. I fancy he had something to do with the two gents as came over to buy the mine. I aren't sure, but I think that's it."

"I feel quite sure," said Gwyn, emphatically. "Very well, then, sir; what we've got to do is to keep him off our premises, so that he don't get picking up our notions of working the old mine. He's after something, or he wouldn't be here to-day. Regular old mining hand, he is; and I daresay he was squinting over our machinery, and he wants to see the pumping come to naught. Just please him. But look at this; isn't it fine?"

He pointed to the steady stream of clear water rushing toward them, and falling downward, glittering in the sunshine. "Ready to go in with me?"

For answer the two boys took off their boots and socks, and stood them in a niche in the rock, while Hardock pa.s.sed in through the mouth of the adit; and directly after he had disappeared in the darkness, he re-appeared in the midst of a glow of light produced by a lanthorn he had placed behind a piece of rock.

"Come on, my lads," he cried, and the two boys stepped in, with the cold water gurgling about their feet, and stooping to avoid striking their heads against the roof of the low gallery.