we had better return, if you would not be left in darkness, for
our candles are getting low."

"Did you ever travel underground in the dark?" inquired Oliver.

"Not often, but I have done it occasionally. Once, in particular, I
went down the main shaft in the dark, and gave a miner an awful fright.
I had to go down in haste at the time, and, not having a candle at hand,
besides being well acquainted with the way, I hurried down in the dark.
It so chanced that a man named Sampy had got his light put out when
about to ascend the shaft, and, as he also was well acquainted with the
way, he did not take the trouble to relight. There was a good deal of
noise in consequence of the pump being at work. When I had got about
half-way down I put my foot on something that felt soft. Instantly
there was uttered a tremendous yell, and my legs at the same moment were
seized by something from below. My heart almost jumped out of my mouth
at this, but as the yell was repeated it flashed across me I must have
trod on some one's fingers, so I lifted my foot at once, and then a
voice, which I knew to be that of Sampy, began to wail and lament
miserably.

"`Hope I haven't hurt 'ee, Sampy?' said I.

"`Aw dear! aw dear! aw, my dear!' was all that poor Sampy could reply.

"`Let us go up, my son,' said I, `and we'll strike a light.'

"So up we went to the next level, where I got hold of the poor lad's
candle and lighted it.

"`Aw, my dear!' said Sampy, looking at his fingers with a rueful
countenance; `thee have scat 'em all in jowds.'"

"Pray," interrupted Oliver, "what may be the meaning of `scat 'em all in
jowds'?

"Broke 'em all in pieces," replied Captain Dan; "but he was wrong, for
no bones were broken, and the fingers were all right again in the course
of a few days. Sampy got a tremendous fright, however, and he was never
known to travel underground without a light after that."

Continuing to retrace their steps, Captain Dan and Oliver made for the
main shaft. On the way they came to another of those immense empty
spaces where a large lode had been worked away, and nothing left in the
dark narrow void but the short beams which had supported the working
stages of the men. Here Oliver, looking down through a hole at his
feet, saw several men far below him. They were at work on the "end" in
three successive tiers--above each other's heads.

"You've seen two of these men before," said Captain Dan.

"Have I?"

"Yes,