red cried in alarm, as he assured himself his lamp was
uninjured.

"An explosion, an' we're penned in here to starve to death," Sam
replied, in a trembling voice.

"Can't we dig through this bank and reach the hole in the roof?"

"There is no longer any lower level, as we knew it, and unless we could
make a new drift there'd be no use working."

"But this part of the mine seems to be all right."

"Yes, unless there's another explosion I reckon we can stay here 'til--"

"'Till what?"

"We shall starve to death after a while."

This mournful conversation was interrupted by Skip, who came running
down the slope with the most abject fear written on every feature of his
face.

Familiar as he was with the mine he had no need to ask for the cause of
the noise, and understood as well as Sam the little hope there was for
life.

"Are you shut in, too?" he cried.

"We're here," Sam replied, grimly.

"An' you'd been outside if I hadn't wanted to stay rather than take a
flogging."

"You're right, Skip, but this ain't the time to find fault. All three
are in the same box, an' we might as well be friendly."

"Won't they try to get us out?" Fred asked, faintly.

"Nobody knows where we are," Skip replied, bitterly.

"We told mother about you, and she'll be sure to repeat it to Joe and
Bill now we're in such danger."

Skip's face brightened for an instant, and then he said, in a despairing
tone:

"They don't know where this place is. Billings is certain the oldest
miners never heard of the drift; he thinks it was made years before the
workings were opened at Farley's."

"Joe and Bill have been down here."

"Even they wouldn't know where to start in. How long will the air hold
out, Sam?"

"I don't know, but there's no need of usin' it any faster than's
necessary. We'll put out two of the lamps; one is enough, an' we may be
mighty glad to drink the oil."

Fred was very nearly incapable of action. The knowledge that his
companions had lost hope literally dazed him, and he could not even
follow Sam's suggestion.

Two of the lamps were extinguished, and since Fred was the only one
retaining the means of dispelling the darkness, Sam and Skip forced him
on ahead as they went still further into the tunnel where the air would
be more pure.

"This is the only point from which we may expect aid," Sam said, "an'
seein' that we can do nothin' it's better to stay here."

"Won't Joe and Bill try to help us?" Fred aske