eps flashing inside the lamps. You know there
is danger. I told you there was danger before you came to work."

"And how did you know?" cried Ebenezer Parks insolently.

"By study, brute!" cried Philip passionately; "by making use of the
brains with which I have been blessed, and not going through life
willing to risk the lives of my fellow-men for the sake of a little
self-indulgence."

"Don't see much self-indulgence, as thou calls it, in having a pipe o'
'bacco."

"Ay! how wouldst thou like to wuck all neet on the neet shift?" cried
another.

"Sithee," cried Ebenezer, spitting in his great black hands and
thrusting his head forward, "thou ca'st me a fool, lad."

"Stand back!" cried Philip, so sternly that the great fellow flinched.
"You are worse than a pack of children," he continued. "Shame on you!
learn to give up your self-indulgence sooner than run such risks."

"Ay, it's easy enew to talk," growled one of the men; "but don't you
think you are coming to lord it over us. S'pose we don't know when
she's safe and when she isn't?"

"If I'm to judge from what I've seen to-night," cried Philip, "I'm sure
you do not know, and that you are not fit to be trusted. Because you
work in a seam and it is safe to-day, do you suppose it follows that it
will be safe to-morrow? I tell you men that you are always working on
the very edge of death through your own folly."

"And I tell 'ee," cried Ebenezer Parks, "that thou knows nowt about it."

"Silence, sir!" cried Philip, whose blood was up; and in a puzzled way,
as if he could not half understand it, the big miner shook his head, and
shrank back astonished that this boy, as he called him, should master
him as he did.

For the big miner had yet to learn that knowledge is power--a power of
ten thousand times greater force than the stoutest muscles ever owned by
man.

"I have never spoken to you before as I am speaking now," cried Philip.
"You force me to it, and I tell you that, while I have the management
here, the regulations shall be strictly carried out to the very letter;
there shall be no evasions--no more of these contemptible tricks. How
did you open that Davy-lamp, sir?" he cried, turning sharply upon
Ebenezer.

There was no answer, and the big fellow actually shrank as Philip made a
sharp movement forward.

But it was not to strike a blow, only to pick up something lying shining
amongst the pieces of coal.

"Just as I thought," said the young