Part 74 (1/2)

”Ready?”

”Yes; I've told father I shall be late,” said Joe.

”So have I, and my mother, too. Seen anything of Tom Dina.s.s? No?”

”But--oh, I say!”

”Well, say it,” cried Gwyn.

”What about Grip?”

”Quite well, thank you for your kind inquiries, but he says he feels the cold a little in his legs.”

”Don't fool,” said Joe, testily. ”You're not going to leave the dog?”

”Why not?”

”Tom Dina.s.s.”

Gwyn whistled.

”Soon put that right,” he said. ”We'll take him with us. He'll enjoy the run.”

There was no doubt about that, for the dog was frantic with delight, and as soon as he was unchained he raced before them to the mouth of the pit, as readily as if he understood where they were going.

Sam Hardock was waiting, and he rubbed his nose on seeing the dog.

”I did advise you, sir, to keep him chained up while there's danger about,” he grumbled.

”Won't be any danger down below, Sam,” said Gwyn cheerily.

”What? Eh? You mean to take him with us? Oh, I see. But won't he get chopped going down?”

”Not if I carry him.”

”Nay, sir,” said the man, seriously, ”you mustn't venture on that.”

”Well, I'm going to take him down,” said Gwyn.

”I know,” said Joe, eagerly; ”send him down in the skep.”

”Ay, ye might do that, sir,” said Hardock, nodding. ”Would he stop, sir?”

”If I tell him,” said Gwyn; and, an empty skep being hooked on just then, the engineer grinned as Gwyn went to it and bade the dog jump in.

Grip obeyed on the instant, and then, as his master did not follow, he whined, and made as if to leap out.

”Lie down, sir. Going down. Wait for us at the bottom.”

The dog couched, and the engineer asked if he'd stay.