ed to stay in the breaker forever,
and after a while it will be possible to get a better job. Where are you
working?"

"I'm Bill Thomas' butty."

"What's that?"

"His helper. He's a miner, and I'll have the same kind of a lay after
being with him a while."

"Were you ever in the breaker?"

"I sorted slate from coal most three years, an' got more dust than
money; but I'm tough, you see, an' didn't wear out my lungs."

"What's your name?"

"Sam Thorpe; but if you ever want anybody to help you out of a scrape,
an' I reckon that'll happen before many days, ask for Bill's butty."

"I am Fred Byram, and mother has hired the new house near the store."

"I'm sorry for you; but as it can't be helped now, keep your eyes
peeled, for the boys are a tough lot. When you want a friend come to me.
I like your looks, and wish you'd struck most any other place than
Farley's, 'cause it's the worst to be found in the Middle Field."

With this not very encouraging remark Sam went toward the mouth of the
slope, and the new breaker boy was left to his own devices.

It was six o'clock in the morning. The underground workers were coming
singly or in groups to begin the day's work for which each would be paid
in accordance with the amount of coal taken out, and no one could afford
to remain idle many moments.

Fred knew he must report to the breaker boss before seven o'clock, and
approached the grimy old building wondering if it would be necessary for
him to work three years, as Sam Thorpe had done, before earning more
than thirty-five cents per day.

Entering the breaker, which was thickly coated both inside and out with
coal-dust, he reported to Donovan, the boss, by saying:

"I have come to work. Here is my ticket."

"Green?"

"Yes, sir."

"Here, Chunky, take this new hand alongside of you, and see that there
is no skylarking."

The boy referred to as Chunky made no reply; but looked up from beside
the long chute at which he was sitting, as if the task of breaking in a
new hand was very welcome. A fat, good-natured fellow he apparently was,
and Fred fancied he would be an agreeable task-master.

He, like the others, was curious to know if his companion had been in a
mine before, and on receiving the information, remarked sagely:

"You'll be mighty sick of the whole thing before night, but it's safer
than down in the galleries."

"What must I do?"

"At seven o'clock the coal will be dumped in at the other end of th