Part 41 (1/2)

He smilingly drew attention to their shooting caps and boots and long mackintoshes.

”Yes,” said the Major, laughing, ”we're ready for a wet campaign.”

Gwyn was not in the habit of arguing with his father, whose quietest words always carried with them a military decision which meant a great deal, so he was silent, and contented himself with a glance at Joe, who took his cue from him and remained quiet.

Several of the men were there standing about the square iron-bound box attached by a wire rope to a wheel overhead, and known as the skep, which, with another, would be the conveyances of the ore that was to be found, from deep down in the mine to the surface, or, as the miners termed it, to gra.s.s; and until the man-engine was finished this was the ordinary way up and down.

There was Sam Hardock, m.u.f.fled up in flannel garments, and wearing a leather cap like a helmet, with a brim, in front of which was his feather represented by a thick tallow candle. He was armed with a stout pick in his belt, and the Colonel and Major both carried large geological hammers.

Tom Dina.s.s was there, too, in charge with the engineer of the skep, to ensure a safe descent.

Then there were lanthorns, and Hardock, in addition, bore by a strap over his shoulder what looked like a large cartouche box, but its contents were to re-load the lanthorns, being thick tallow candles.

”Got plenty of matches, Hardock?” said Gwyn, eagerly.

”Oh yes, sir, two tin boxes full.”

”We have each a supply of wax matches, too, my boy,” said the Colonel.

”All ready, I think,” he continued, turning to the Major, who nodded, and then said to him in a low tone of voice, overheard by the boys in addition to him for whom it was addressed,--

”If anybody had told me six months ago that I should do this, I should have called him mad.”

”Never mind, old fellow,” said the Colonel, laughingly; ”better than vegetating as we were, and doing nothing. It sets my old blood dancing in my veins again to have something like an adventure. Well,” he said aloud, ”we may as well make a start. By the way, have you any lunch to take down?”

”Oh, yes,” said the Major, tapping a sandwich-box in his coat pocket; ”too old a campaigner to forget my rations.”

”Right,” said the Colonel, tapping his own breast. ”Well, boys, if we get lost and don't come up again by some time next week, you will have to organise a search-party, and come down and find us.”

”Better let us come with you, father, to take care of you both.”

The Colonel laughed, and shook his head.

”Now, Major,” he cried, ”forward!”

The Major stepped into the great wooden bucket, the Colonel followed, and then Sam Hardock took his place beside them.

”All ready!” cried the Colonel. ”Now, Hardock, give the word.”

The mining captain obeyed, there was a sharp, clicking noise, as the engineer touched the brake, and the wheel overhead began to revolve; then the skep dropped quickly and silently down through the square hole in the rough plank floor formed over the great open shaft, the pump being now still. Then, all at once, as the boys caught at the stout railing about the opening and looked down, the lanthorns taken began to glow softly and grew brighter for a time; then the light decreased, growing more and more feeble till it was almost invisible, and Gwyn drew a deep breath and looked up at the revolving wheel.

”Seems precious venturesome, doesn't it?” observed Joe.

”Not half so bad as going down with a rope round you, and feeling it coming undone,” said Gwyn.

”No, but you did have water to fall into,” said Joe. ”If the wire rope breaks, they'll fall on the stone bottom and be smashed.”

”Ah, yes,” said Dina.s.s, in solemn tones. ”Be a sad business that.”

”Will you be quiet, Tom Dina.s.s!” cried Gwyn, irritably. ”You're always croaking about the mine.”

”Nay, sir, not me,” replied the man. ”It were Mr Joe here as begun talking about the rope breaking and their coming down squelch.”