by James Otis
CHAPTER XVIII
SHUT DOWN
Food and rest were all that was needed to restore the boys who had beenrescued to their normal condition once more, and since the works werenecessarily shut down they had ample opportunity for the latter remedy.
Fred learned from his mother that Bill and Joe had remained foremostamong the laborers nearly every moment of the time they were imprisonedin the drift; but the full story of the rescue was not told until on thesecond day, when Joe called.
"It looked pretty blue one spell," the latter said in reply to Fred'squestions. "The first attempt to get down the slope was a failure. Whenwe reached the upper level all three were so nearly overcome by the foulair that Mr. Wright could hardly make the signal for the car to bepulled back. Late at night we tried it agin, an' brought out the fourpoor fellows who were caught on the slope. Next mornin' Billings' bodywas found, an' then it wasn't hard to tell what caused the trouble."
"Did you spend any time there looking for us?"
"No, for Bill and me calculated that if you hadn't got to Skip beforethe explosion come it would be a month's work to find the bodies. Wewent down the old shaft, an' began from there, workin' at guess tillboth of us began to believe we'd gone wrong. If Sam hadn't yelled jestas he did the gang would have started in from the old drift that runs tothe chamber."
"In that case we wouldn't have been found in time."
"You're right; but seein' as we did find you all secure, there's no usespeculatin' about the other side of the matter."
"Have you seen Skip?"
"He was down to the store this mornin' tellin' what he knew of Billings'movements, for the coroner is investigatin' the affair."
"And Sam?"
"He's lively as a cricket, an' counts on comin' here this afternoon."
"How long will it be before the works can be opened again?"
"Two or three months for the whole gang, but some can begin in half thattime, I reckon. It's goin' to be rough on them as haven't anything laidby for a rainy day."
"And mother and I can be counted among those," Fred said, with a sigh.
"Don't worry about that my son," Mrs. Byram replied cheerily. "It issufficient for me that your life has been spared, and I am certain weshall be able to provide for the future, but you are not to go into themine again. The four terrible days spent at the slope, fearing eachinstant that the rescuing party would reach the drift too late, causedme to resolve that you should not be exposed to any more such dangers."
"But it don't stand to reason he'll have another experience like thelast," Joe said, promptly. "He's already gone through more'n themajority of us fellers, an' lightning don't often strike twice in thesame place."
Mrs. Byram shook her head to signify that the decision was final, butbefore she could add words to the gesture Mr. Wright knocked at thedoor.
"I have come to make some arrangements with Fred about working in thestore," he said, as his summons was answered, and entering, continued,after a nod to the invalid and Joe, "we shall need more help there for awhile, and will pay three dollars per week."
There could be no hesitation about accepting the proposition, and beforethe superintendent left it was decided Fred should begin next morning,provided he felt sufficiently strong.
"Sam Thorpe is to work with you," Mr. Wright said as he turned to leavethe house, "and I expect good service from my new clerks."
"I'll go bail that you get it," Joe said, with a laugh, "an' now, if itain't askin' too much, I'd like to know what chance there is for therest of us."
"We can use about a hundred men, among whom will be you and Bill. Thepumps have been choked so long that it will be some time before even theupper level can be put into working shape, but employment shall be givento all at the earliest possible moment."
Then Mr. Wright returned to the office, and during the remainder of theday Fred had quite as many callers as could be entertained in the littlehouse.
Among these were Sam and Skip, and the latter renewed the promises madein the mine.
"I've backed out from the Regulators, an' while the shut down lasts amgoin' to see what I can do in the way of workin' the garden. Father'slet me off from a floggin' if I go straight after this."
On the following morning Fred was at his new place of business at a veryearly hour, and both he and Sam found plenty with which to occupy theirtime until sunset, when they were at liberty to do as they chose.
During the next week nothing of particular interest to the young clerkstranspired.
At the mine the largest force, which could be worked to advantage, wasemployed, and those who were forced to remain idle were given creditfor food and rent.
When the labor had become systematized to such a degree as to allow thesuperintendent a little leisure, and while Fred was copying some lettersin the private office, Mr. Wright watching him several moments insilence, asked:
"Do you never expect to do anything but work in a mine, Fred?"
"Oh, yes, sir; if mother and I can get some money laid by I want to goto the city."
"What will you do there?"
"I don't know, sir, but there should be plenty of chances for a fellowwho is willing to work."
"There are, but since it may be some time before you are in a conditionto leave here, why not make yourself familiar with this branch ofmining?"
"How could that be done, sir?"
"By hard study. You may use any of my books, and after getting asmattering of the business you might decide to take up civilengineering, a profession which would suit you admirably."
"If I only could."
"There is nothing to prevent. Here is a work which you can understand,and after mastering its contents I'll guarantee you're ready to holdyour own against any engineer's assistant in the middle field."
On that very day Fred began his studies, and Sam joined him with theunderstanding that not less than two hours of each evening should bedevoted to the work.
Both the boys were astonished at discovering how little they reallyknew about mining, even though well acquainted with many of the details,and rapid progress was made during the fortnight that followed.
"If you keep on at this rate we'll be lookin' for new buttys," Bill saidone evening when the students had explained to him the principles ofhydraulics.
"You won't need any for some time, and then, perhaps, we shall havelearned how ignorant we are, and give up in despair."
"There'll be a good many called for to-morrow. The upper level is inworkin' order, an' a hundred men are to be put on in the morning."
This was, indeed, good news. The inhabitants of Farley's had beenanxiously awaiting the day when it would be possible to earn somethingtoward the household expenses, and this first evidence that the workswere really to be opened caused a great amount of pleasurableexcitement.
Nearly every one in the village was at the mouth of the slope to see theworkmen go in, and there Sam and Fred met Skip.
"Mr. Donovan has promised to take me into the breaker as soon as thereis any coal to come out," he said, gleefully, "an' my garden is lookin'fine."
"I don't reckon you've sold many vegetables yet," Sam replied,laughingly.
"The plants are only just up, an' the stuff will be late; but the firstthat is ripe I'm going to send you fellers, an' Bill and Joe."
The miners entered, while the spectators cheered loudly, and then theidle ones dispersed, well content to know their time would soon come.
Skip returned to his garden, while Sam and Fred resumed their duties atthe store, but were interrupted an hour later by Mr. Wright, who said:
"It is important that a message be delivered in Blacktown before noon,and there will be no train until late this afternoon. Do you boys feelin trim for a ten mile tramp across the mountain?"
"Yes, sir, an' double the distance if necessary," Sam replied, promptly.
"Very well; wrap up some crackers and cheese while I write a letter."
Ten minutes later the two were on
their way with no slight task beforethem, for it would be necessary to travel over a rough country theentire distance, since the journey by the road around the mountain couldnot be performed in a day.
It was an agreeable change after having been confined to the store solong, and they trudged on merrily, resolved to return in a moreleisurely fashion because Mr. Wright had said no more work would berequired of them until morning.
In three hours the message had been delivered, and they were on theirway home.
Little time was spent in the valley, but on ascending the mountain oncemore a halt was made for lunch.
They were midway between Blacktown and Farley's. Not a dwelling could beseen in either direction, and the boys speculated as to what the countrylooked like before coal was found in the vicinity.
"I wonder what caused the first man to come here lookin' for it?" Samsaid, musingly.
"Most likely some one well up in geology was hunting for specimens, andfound an out-cropping vein."
"It must have been a mighty pleasant surprise."
"And one that I would like to experience. Just fancy poking around inthis way till you struck what could be easily turned into gold."
As he spoke Fred dug up the earth here and there with a stick, playingthe part, as he supposed, of the first discoverer, and at the same timeslowly ascending the mountain.
"Hold on; don't leave so soon. I'm just getting ready to rest in properstyle."
Fred turned around to return when he struck his toe against whatappeared to be a projecting rock, and fell headlong.
"That's what you get for tryin' your hand at prospecting," Sam said,with a laugh, and Fred arose to his feet with a rueful look on his face,which caused his companion yet more mirth.
"It may be sport for you, but I don't see anything so funny aboutknocking all the skin off----Hello! What a queer looking rock I tumbledover!"
He had turned, and was gazing at the projecting point, a fragment ofwhich was broken, when Sam came up to learn the cause of his companion'sastonishment.
"Why, it looks like coal!" he exclaimed, taking a piece from the groundto examine it more closely, and an instant later Fred was startled byhearing him shout, "It is coal! The vein at Farley's must run straightthrough the hill!"
"Then this belongs to the company."
"Not a bit of it. The one who owns the land can work here, and if wecould raise money enough to buy ten or fifteen acres on this side of thehill, Byram and Thorpe would be mighty rich fellows."