by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XXVI.
A CRITICAL MOMENT.
After an earnest thanksgiving by Mr. Brook for their success thus far,the whole party partook of what was a heartier meal than usual,consisting of the whole of the remaining food. Then choosing the largestof the drills, a hole was driven in the coal two feet in depth, and inthis an unusually heavy charge was placed.
"We're done for after all," Bill Haden suddenly exclaimed. "Look at thelamp."
Every one present felt his heart sink at what he saw. A light flameseemed to fill the whole interior of the lamp. To strike a match tolight the fuse would be to cause an instant explosion of the gas. Theplace where they were working being the highest part of the mine, thefiery gas, which made its way out of the coal at all points above theclosed doors, had, being lighter than air, mounted there.
"Put the lamps out," Jack said quickly, "the gauze is nearly red hot."In a moment they were in darkness.
"What is to be done now?" Mr. Brook asked after a pause.
There was silence for a while--the case seemed desperate.
"Mr. Brook," Jack said after a time, "it is agreed, is it not, that allhere will obey my orders?"
"Yes, certainly, Jack," Mr. Brook answered.
"Whatever they are?"
"Yes, whatever they are."
"Very well," Jack said, "you will all take your coats off and soak themin water, then all set to work to beat the gas out of this heading asfar as possible. When that is done as far as can be done, all go intothe next stall, and lie down at the upper end, you will be out of theway of the explosion there. Cover your heads with your wet coats, and,Bill, wrap something wet round those cans of powder."
"What then, Jack?"
"That's all," Jack said; "I will fire the train. If the gas explodes atthe match it will light the fuse, so that the wall will blow in anyhow."
"No, no," a chorus of voices said; "you will be killed."
"I will light it, Jack," Bill Haden said; "I am getting on now, it's nogreat odds about me."
"No, Dad," Jack said, "I am in charge, and it is for me to do it. Youhave all promised to obey orders, so set about it at once. Bill, takeMr. Brook up first into the other stall; he won't be able to find hisway about in the dark."
Without a word Bill did as he was told, Mr. Brook giving one heartysqueeze to the lad's hand as he was led away. The others, accustomed tothe darkness from boyhood, proceeded at once to carry out Jack'sinstructions, wetting their flannel jackets and then beating the roofwith them towards the entrance to the stall; for five minutes theycontinued this, and then Jack said:
"Now, lads, off to the stall as quick as you can; cover your heads wellover; lie down. I will be with you in a minute, or--" or, as Jack knewwell, he would be dashed to pieces by the explosion of the gas. Helistened until the sound of the last footstep died away--waited a coupleof minutes, to allow them to get safely in position at the other end ofthe next stall--and then, holding the end of the fuse in one hand andthe match in the other, he murmured a prayer, and, stooping to theground, struck the match. No explosion followed; he applied it to thefuse, and ran for his life, down the narrow heading, down the stall,along the horse road, and up the next stall. "It's alight," he said ashe rushed in.
A cheer of congratulation and gladness burst from the men. "Cover yourheads close," Jack said as he threw himself down; "the explosion is nighsure to fire the gas."
For a minute a silence as of death reigned in the mine; then there was asharp cracking explosion, followed--or rather, prolonged--by anotherlike thunder, and, while a flash of fire seemed to surround them,filling the air, firing their clothes, and scorching their limbs, thewhole mine shook with a deep continuous roaring. The men knew that thedanger was at an end, threw off the covering from their heads, andstruck out the fire from their garments. Some were badly burned aboutthe legs, but any word or cry they may have uttered was drowned in thetremendous roar which continued. It was the water from the Logan pitrushing into the Vaughan. For five minutes the noise was like thunder,then, as the pressure from behind decreased, the sound graduallydiminished, until, in another five minutes, all was quiet. Then theparty rose to their feet. The air in the next stall was clear and fresh,for as the Logan pit had emptied of water, fresh air had of course comedown from the surface to take its place.
"We can light our lamps again safely now," Bill Haden said. "We shallwant our tools, lads, and the powder; there may be some heavy falls inour way, and we may have hard work yet before we get to the shaft, butthe roof rock is strong, so I believe we shall win our way."
"It lies to our right," Jack said. "Like our own, it is at the lower endof the pit, so, as long as we don't mount, we are going right for it."
There were, as Haden had anticipated, many heavy falls of the roof, butthe water had swept passages in them, and it was found easier to getalong than the colliers had expected. Still it was hard work for menweakened by famine; and it took them five hours of labour clearing awaymasses of rock, and floundering through black mud, often three feetdeep, before they made their way to the bottom of the Logan shaft, andsaw the light far above them--the light that at one time they had neverexpected to see again.
"What o'clock is it now, sir?" Bill Haden asked Mr. Brook, who had fromthe beginning been the timekeeper of the party.
"Twelve o'clock exactly," he replied. "It is four days and an hour sincethe pit fired."
"What day is it, sir? for I've lost all count of time."
"Sunday," Mr. Brook said after a moment's thought.
"It could not be better," Bill Haden said; "for there will be thousandsof people from all round to visit the mine."
"How much powder have you, Bill?" Jack asked.
"Four twenty-pound cans."
"Let us let off ten pounds at a time," Jack said. "Just damp it enoughto prevent it from flashing off too suddenly; break up fine some of thisdamp wood and mix with it, it will add to the smoke."
In a few minutes the "devil" was ready, and a light applied; it blazedfuriously for half a minute, sending volumes of light smoke up theshaft.
"Flash off a couple of pounds of dry powder," Bill Haden said; "there isvery little draught up the shaft, and it will drive the air up."
For twenty minutes they continued letting off "devils" and flashingpowder. Then they determined to stop, and allow the shaft to clearaltogether of the smoke.
Presently a small stone fell among them--another--and another, and theyknew that some one had noticed the smoke.