by James Otis
CHAPTER IV
THE BARRIER
Brace did not so much as ask if Fred was willing to join him in thestruggle which must surely ensue, if they met those who intended to worksuch great injury to the mine. He walked straight on without speakinguntil five minutes had elapsed, and then said in a whisper:
"It wouldn't be safe for any of that crowd to be found loafin' near theentrance to the drift, so we may expect to run across them before long.If they get the best of me, an' you can slip past while they are doin'it, don't wait, but make the most of your time."
"I wouldn't leave you to fight alone."
"Why not? My life don't count for anything when there are so many to besaved. Run if you can, and tell what Billings intends to do. Thesuperintendent is the one who should hear it first, but if the time isshort speak to any of the bosses."
Up to this moment Fred had thought only that he and Brace might insuretheir own safety; but now personal welfare seemed insignificant ascompared with what might be done for others.
Following closely behind Brace, that there might be no possibility of aninvoluntary separation, he walked on in silence until the leadersuddenly halted with a cry of dismay.
"What's the matter?" Fred whispered.
"The villains have taken good care we sha'n't escape. The drift has beenfilled up this side of the doors."
"Can't we dig our way through? They haven't had time to bring much stuffin here."
"More than likely two or three loads of coal have been dumped, and thenthe doors were fastened. The drift has been worked out, and none of thebosses would come here in time to suspect mischief."
"What can we do?"
"Wait a bit till I make sure what's before us."
Brace clambered upon the barrier, assured himself there was too much tobe removed in the limited time at their disposal, and then came back towhere Fred was waiting in painful suspense.
"It must be the old shaft or nothing. Walk fast now for the minutes aregoing mighty quick."
Alone, Fred would have had difficulty in retracing his steps, but Bracepushed forward as if it was possible to see every foot of the way, andwhen the chamber was reached immediately began forcing his body throughthe aperture which had seemed hardly large enough for Fred.
Neither gave any heed to possible injuries, and the man's clothes werein tatters when they emerged on the opposite side of the wall to maketheir way with all speed along the tunnel.
For a while the inclination of the path told Fred the proper directionwas being pursued, and then it seemed as if they traveled an unusuallylong time over a road which appeared to be perfectly level.
"Are you sure we are right?" he asked at length, seizing Brace by thearm to force him to halt.
"I don't know anything about it. This part of the mine was closed beforeI ever heard of such a place as Farley's."
"We should have continued going down hill until the shaft was gained."
"Then we are off the track sure; but it can't be helped now, and thereis little chance of finding our way back. The air isn't bad, and we'llkeep on; it may be there is another slope beside the one about which Ihave heard."
"We must be on the lower level."
"I reckon we are."
"And it can't be long before Billings will do as he threatened."
"You're right."
"Then we are certain to be drowned unless we can find a higher drift."
"Yes, an' it'll be a clear case of luck if we strike one. Don't stop totalk now. We must go at full speed while the air is good."
Seizing Fred by the hand, Brace started once more, and for the timebeing both forgot fatigue in this struggle for life. On with feverishenergy they pressed, yet no glimmer of light broke the profounddarkness. More than once each fell over the litter of timbers, but onlyto rise and struggle on again, until finally Brace halted.
"It's no use," he said with a moan. "Each step now is carrying us lower.I remember hearing some of the old hands say the abandoned drifts were ahundred feet or so farther down the hill. We must be considerably belowthe deepest shaft."
"Have you given up all hope?" Fred asked in a whisper, for whilesurrounded by the dense blackness the full tones of his voice soundedfearsome.
"Ay, lad, all hope."
"Try once more. There surely is a way out if we could only strike it!"
"We may as well meet the water here. I've been in the mines long enoughto know that this runnin' at random is worse than standin' quiet. When aman's time has come there's no use to fight."
Fred could not urge him farther. The numbness of fear was upon him,brought by this sudden surrender of the man whom he had believed wouldbe able to extricate them from the precarious position, and now hethought only of his mother.
How long the two remained there silent and motionless neither ever knew.To Fred it seemed as if hours passed before Brace seized him by the armas he cried at the full strength of his lungs:
"Hello! Mate! This way!"
Then he ran forward at full speed, dragging Fred with him, and shoutinglike an insane man all the while until finally the boy could see a tinyspark of light far in the distance.
"It's some one looking for us," Fred cried.
"Whether he's come for us, or is on business of his own, matters littlesince his light is burning."
Then, as Brace ceased speaking, Fred heard a familiar voice shouting,and an instant later Sam Thorpe had grasped him by the hand.
"Why, it's Bill's butty! What are you doing here?"
"I came to look for the new breaker boy; I thought Skip's crowd had donehim some mischief."
"So they did, an' another set of scoundrels would have drowned us allout but for your coming."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no time for talkin' now. How did you get here?"
"By an old slope that I stumbled across the other day. I found Fred'sbundles near the shaft, and believed he had been let down there."
"Go on the best you know how; I'll give you a bit of an idea aboutourselves while we're walking."
The gleam of the lamp Sam wore in his cap was sufficient to show theway, and by the time the entrance to the slope had been reached thebutty boy knew the whole story.
"Billings' gang won't be able to do anything till after the day shift goon, an' I think it would be a good idea to let the superintendent knowwhat has happened. Why not stay here till I tell him part of the story?"
"Go ahead," Brace replied. "We'll wait for you."
"Will you tell my mother that I am all right?" Fred asked.
"She shall hear of it first," Sam said, as he stole out into the openair, as if fearful of being seen.
"Why didn't we go with him?" Fred asked when he was alone with Brace.
"Because nobody knows how far the plan to flood the mine may have gone,and by showing ourselves the villains may begin the job too soon to beprevented."
It was yet dark. Instead of having been imprisoned in the tunnelstwenty-four hours, as Fred had believed, less than eight were passedthere.
That Mr. Wright believed the news Sam brought to be of vital importancewas shown by his coming with the boy with the utmost speed, and onentering the shaft he said to Brace:
"Tell me all you know about the plan to flood the mine."
The story was given in detail, and at its conclusion Mr. Wright asked:
"How do you happen to know so much about this thing?"
"Because I belonged to the party till I found they meant murder."
"Are you acquainted with all the members?"
"No, sir; wasn't allowed. Billings allers let us understand there was abig crowd, but wouldn't let any besides the officers know about it; hesaid the men might give themselves away by talkin' if they found who wasmembers."
"Why do they wish to throw all hands out of employment by flooding themine?"
"Some of the bosses are too hard on 'em, sir, an' a good many think it'slike sellin' theirselves to deal at the company store."
"They should have come to me with their grievances; but it is too lateto talk of that now, and immediate steps must be taken to prevent themischief. It won't be policy for you to show yourself until my planshave been perfected, otherwise they would take alarm. The boy can gohome, and I want him to be in the breaker this morning as if nothing hadhappened. Where can you remain in hiding for a few days?"
"I don't know, sir, unless I leave town."
"That will not do, for I may wish to talk with you again."
"He can come with me," Fred said quickly. "We do not know any one here,and there's no danger of his being discovered."
"It's a good idea. Go with the boy, Brace, and I can let you know whenit will be safe to venture out."
"Very well, sir; but don't deal harshly with Billings' crowd. They'vetried to do me the most harm one man can work another; but yet, for thesake of their wives an' children, I'd not feel easy in mind if they wasturned away without warning."
"I promise to be as lenient as is consistent with the safety of others,"Mr. Wright replied, as Fred and the miner left the slope, walkingrapidly lest they should be observed, and a few moments later Mrs. Byramwas clasping to her bosom the son whom she had feared was lost to herforever on this earth.
It was not long that Fred could remain at home. He had promised to go tothe breaker, and after he and Brace partook of a hearty meal, at theconclusion of which the latter was shown to a room where there was nochance of his being seen, he started out, with the promise to his motherthat he would be very careful.
By some channel of information the news had been spread that the missingboy returned home during the night, and no one paid any particularattention to him as he walked down the street, but on entering thebreaker Skip Miller and his friends were decidedly disturbed. The leaderof the regulators glanced from Fred to Donovan, as if expecting he wouldbe called upon to give an account of his misdeeds; but Chunky, who hadevidently not been let into the secret, greeted his mate as if thelatter's return was something he had expected.
"Where was you last night?" he asked.
"I went out near the old shaft," Fred replied, and Skip, who overheardthe words, appeared to be very much relieved.
"I thought you'd run away."
"Why should I do anything like that?"
"I dunno, 'cept that you wanted to get clear of the thumpin' that theregulators promised."
"I'm not such a fool as that," Fred replied carelessly, and then theoutpouring of coal put an end to further conversation.