f or a moment jack stood stunned by the calamity. there were, he knew, over three hundred men and boys in the pit, and he turned faint and sick as the thought of their fate came across him. then he ran towards the top of the shaft. the bankman lay insensible at a distance of some yards from the pit, where he had been thrown by the force of the explosion. two or three men came running up with white scared faces. the smoke had nearly ceased already; the damage was done, and a deadly stillness seemed to reign.

jack ran into the engine-house. the engine-man was leaning against a wall, scared and almost fainting.

"are you hurt, john?"

"no!"

"pull yourself round, man. the first thing is to see if the lift is all right. i see one of the cages is at bank, and the force of the explosion is in the upcast shaft. just give a turn or two to the engine and see if the winding gear's all right. slowly."

[pg 236]

the engineman turned on the steam; there was a slight movement, and then the engine stopped.

"a little more steam," jack said. "the cage has caught, but it may come."

there was a jerk, and then the engine began to work.

"that is all right," jack said, "whether the lower cage is on or not. stop now, and wind it back, and get the cage up again. does the bell act, i wonder?"

jack pulled the wire which, when in order, struck a bell at the bottom of the shaft, and then looked at a bell hanging over his head for the answer. none came.

"i expect the wire's broke," jack said, and went out to the pit's mouth again.

the surface-men were all gathered round now, the tip-men, and the yard-men, and those from the coke-ovens, all looking wild and pale.

"i am going down," jack said; "we may find some poor fellows near the bottom, and can't wait till some headman comes on the ground. who will go with me? i don't want any married men, for you know, lads, there may be another blow at any moment."

"i will go with you," one of the yard-men said, stepping forward; "there's no one dependent on me."

"i, too," said another; "it's no odds to any one but myself whether i come up again or not. here's with you, whatever comes of it."

after the first explosion—the search party. after the first explosion—the search party.

jack brought three safety-lamps from the lamp-[pg 237]room, and took his place in the cage with the two volunteers.

"lower away," he shouted, "but go very slow when we get near the bottom, and look out for our signal."

it was but three minutes from the moment that the cage began to sink to that when it touched the bottom of the shaft, but it seemed an age to those in it. they knew that at any moment a second explosion might come, and that they might be driven far up into the air above the top of the shaft, mere scorched fragments of flesh. not a word was spoken during the descent, and there was a general exclamation of "thank god!" when they felt the cage touch the bottom.

jack, as an official of the mine, and by virtue of superior energy, at once took the lead.

"now," he said, "let us push straight up the main road."

just as they stepped out they came across the bodies of two men, and stooped over them with their lamps.

"both dead," jack said; "we can do nought for them."

a little way on, and in a heap, were some waggons, thrown together and broken up, the body of a pony, and that of the lad, his driver. then they came to the first door—a door no longer, not a fragment of it remaining. in the door-boy's niche the lad lay in a heap. they bent over him.

"he is alive," jack said. "will you two carry him [pg 238]to the cage? i will look round and see if there is any one else about here; beyond, this way, there is no hope. make haste! look how the gas is catching inside the lamps, the place is full of fire-damp."

the men took up the lad, and turned to go to the bottom of the shaft. jack looked a few yards down a cross-road, and then followed them. he was in the act of turning into the next road to glance at that also, when he felt a suck of air.

"down on your faces!" he shouted, and, springing a couple of paces farther up the cross-road, threw himself on his face.