Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE PURSUIT

  When Fred left Sam to defend the breach in the wall he fully realizedthe necessity of giving the alarm quickly, and did not stop to light hislamp until after scrambling over the barrier of coal.

  Once this had been done he ran at his best pace, guided by the woodentracks on which the cars were hauled, until he was obliged to halt fromsheer lack of breath. A dull sound in the rear caused him to push onagain very quickly, for he believed Sam had found it necessary todischarge his weapons.

  On making the second halt a few moments later, he detected a certainscurrying noise which at first he fancied might have been caused by therats; but immediately came the voice of a man, and he knew the rioterswere pursuing him.

  "I'll get a pretty heavy dose if they catch me," he muttered, hurryingonce more, and when the journey was half finished it became apparentthat the pursuers were gaining upon him.

  The lives of others beside his own might be sacrificed, if he did notwin the race, and he bent all his energies to the undertaking. Once hestumbled, almost fell; but luckily recovered his balance, and darted on,forced to run upon the ties because the space either side was so narrow.

  Nearer and nearer came the men until he could hear their heavybreathing, and one of them shouted:

  "Halt, or we'll shoot!"

  Knowing that they might have gotten possession of his gun he had reasonto believe the threat would be carried into execution; but he said tohimself:

  "It's better to be killed by a bullet than take what they choose togive," and the command only served to quicken his pace.

  Minute after minute passed; no shot was fired, his breath came in quickgasps, and it seemed impossible to continue the flight many secondslonger. The pursuers were now within a few yards, and nothing could beseen ahead. Whether the lower level was close at hand or a mile away hecould not decide; but in his despair he shouted for help.

  "Pick up some chunks of slate an' see if you can't hit him. At this ratewe shall soon have to turn back."

  One of the men stopped long enough to gather an armful of fragments, andas he continued the pursuit threw them with murderous intent at thefugitive.

  Two passed very near the almost exhausted boy's head; but none inflictedany injury, and he shouted again and again for those who were working atthe pumps.

  At the very moment when Fred lost all hope a tiny ray of light appearedfrom out the gloom, and he cried for help once more; then fell headlongto the ground.

  When he next realized anything he was surrounded by miners, who hadevidently been running, and one asked, impatiently:

  "Can you tell us what happened, lad, an' how them sneaks managed to getin here?"

  "Have they gone back?"

  "Indeed they have; we chased them the matter of half a mile, an' thenconcluded it was time we got the story from you, for it might not havebeen safe to pass the first drift."

  In a few words Fred told his story, adding as it was ended:

  "There is a big crowd of them, and all hands are bent on flooding themine."

  "We don't care to have them drown us out like rats, so I reckon there'llhave to be some fightin' done before that little game is played."

  "But what about Sam?"

  "They've got hold of him for sure; but he'll have to take his chanceswith the crowd, for we can't help him now."

  "They'll kill him!"

  "I don't reckon there's much chance of that, lad; but if there was wecouldn't do a thing. I'd go farther than most anybody, for he was mybutty, an' a right good boy; but he's in the hole to stay 'till thecompany get the upper hand of them as would kill their best friends toinjure the bosses."

  Fred knew it was Bill Thomas who spoke in such a tone of utterhelplessness, and there could be no doubt as to the correctness of hisstatements.

  "I'd go back alone if I had the gun."

  "Then it's lucky you left it behind. Best go up the slope an' tellDonovan what has happened here, so's he can send men to the old shaft.Say to him that we'll be through in a couple of hours more, an' want himto start the pumps, for we're workin' in four feet of water."

  After stationing one of their number as guard the miners resumed theirlabor, and Fred started toward the slope, bent on inducing Donovan totake some steps for the relief of Sam.

  Wearied by the previous exertions he made but slow progress, and when hereached the breaker at least half an hour had elapsed.

  Those who had been left to guard the mine were on duty in positionswhere their bodies would be sheltered in case of an attack withfire-arms, and in a group outside were forty or fifty of the rioters.

  "Bill Thomas wants to know if you will start the pumps? They are workingin four feet of water," Fred said, as he approached Donovan.

  "It can't be done now if the whole level is flooded. These fellows havemade two rushes, and are gettin' ready for another."

  "Don't you suppose this is to prevent you from discovering that aportion of the rioters are getting in through the old shaft?" and Fredtold of what had occurred in the drift.

  "That's jest the size of it; but what can be done? We can't spare a manfrom here."

  "There are surely more at the store who would help us."

  "Very likely; but they won't come while this crowd is here."

  "If Mr. Wright knew what was going on he could send a party to theshaft."

  "Yes, if he knew it."

  "Why not send him word?"

  "How?"

  This was a question. Fred did not answer, and Donovan continued:

  "There's no chance by which any one could get from here to the store,while that gang of murderers keep watch over all our movements."

  "It is nearly night. In an hour it will be too dark for them to see whatis going on."

  "Who will take the risk of trying to slip past them?"

  "I will."

  "You'll be in a worse box than Sam is, if they catch you."

  "Something must be done, and since you can't spare anybody to go to thepoor fellow's assistance I'm ready to take my chances while trying tohelp him."

  Donovan did not reply until after looking carefully around as ifcalculating the probabilities of success, and then he said:

  "I've a mind to let you attempt it. If the soldiers don't arrive beforemorning, and Billings' crowd are coming through the old shaft as yousay, we must have help soon, or give up the fight. There is a chance youwill get past all right, and I'm certain we can expect no one to comeunless we say it is impossible to hold out longer."

  "I am ready to go."

  "Very well; wait until it is dark, an' then you may make a try for it."

  It would have pleased Fred better, if he could have been activelyemployed at once, for the knowledge that Sam was in the power of therioters troubled him more than personal danger would have done; butnothing remained save to wait as Donovan said, and he tried to bepatient.

  From the men on guard he learned that Mr. Wright's house had beenattacked; but the mob contented themselves with destroying the windowsand setting fire to the stable. The building itself yet remained intact,and there was reason to believe no more outrages, except such as mightbe committed near the mine, would be committed.

  "Them as are standin' in with Billings don't really know what they want,except as he tells them," Fred's informant said, "an' that's what makesthings of this kind dangerous. If the men understood exactly the causeof such rows, there'd be little trouble."

  "But since they don't, what will be the result of this one?" Fred asked.

  "That's more'n I can tell. The mob may quiet down, an' then again theymay grow worse, so there's no sayin' what'll happen. Anyhow, you don'twant to take many chances on your way to the store."

  "I've got to help Sam."

  "Right you are; but at the same time you ain't called on to take too bigrisks. Don't start unless things look favorable for gettin' through allright, 'cause Cale Billings ain't a nice sort of a man to meet when he'son the top of the heap."
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br />   "Sam is in his power."

  "How do you know?"

  "It is only reasonable to suppose so."

  "Then all the more cause for you to keep away from him. I'd like to havesome one to see the boss; but I haven't got the nerve to send a boyinstead of goin' myself."

  Since this was a direct reflection upon Donovan, Fred refrained frommaking any reply, and the conversation ceased.

  Twice before dark the rioters made a demonstration in front of theslope, as if bent on effecting an entrance, and each time Fred fanciedmore men were sent in the direction of the old shaft.

  It was not for him to make any suggestions, however, and with a heavyheart he watched the maneuvers, believing that each moment saw Sam inmore peril.

  A messenger was sent to the miners in the lower level telling them thatthe pumps could not be started, and urging all hands to hold the driftagainst the rioters; but that was everything which could be done underthe circumstances, and the most vulnerable point was virtually leftunguarded.

  When night came the lawless party built several fires between the slopeand the shaft, very much as if they wished to show that they were onguard, and Donovan motioned to Fred as he walked a few paces down thedrift.

  "I didn't want the others to hear what I said, for it's just as wellthey shouldn't know what a scrape we're in. If you can get to the store,tell Mr. Wright that he mustn't wait for the soldiers; there's noquestion but Bill Thomas' party have got their hands full keepin' backthem as come in by the shaft, and it can't be long before we'll besnowed under. It's about twenty to one now, an' in case of a rush thematter would be settled mighty quick."

  "If I can leave the mouth of the slope without being seen there'll be notrouble."

  "Half a dozen of us will go out a short bit, an' you shall follow onbehind. There ought to be a chance of slippin' off, an' if there isn'twe'll have to give it up, for I'm not willin' you should take too bigrisks."

  Fred threw off his coat and vest that he might be in good condition forrunning, and then as the men marched out of the slope he crouched in therear.

  The rioters made no demonstration; but stood ready to repel an attack,watching closely all the maneuvers, and Donovan whispered to the boy:

  "It won't do to try it, lad. They are scattered around in such a waythat you couldn't get a dozen yards before bein' seen."

  "I'm going to try it."

  "Don't, lad, don't," several said quickly, and, fearing he might beforcibly detained, Fred started.

  He went straight back from the slope, bending low in the vain hope ofescaping observation, and having gained a distance of an hundred feetset off at full speed, forced to run in a half circle to reach the road.

  To those who were watching it seemed as if hardly a second elapsedbefore a great shout went up from the rioters.

  "The sneaks are sendin' for help!"

  "Stop that boy!"

  "Don't let him get away!"

  These and a dozen other orders were given at the same time, and thoserioters who were nearest Fred began the pursuit.

  "He'll never reach the store," Donovan said sadly, as he led the wayback to the slope when Fred was swallowed up by the darkness. "Even ifthese fellows don't overtake him there are plenty between here and therewho'll hear the alarm."