art motioned for the boy to
enter first, and after assuring himself by the flame of his lamp that
the air was pure, he obeyed.

"Go on a bit, an' see if it is a drift, or only a stable."

"They've exhausted the vein after following it about thirty feet," Sam
replied, as he walked the full length, and when on the point of turning
to retrace his steps the doors were closed with a clang, while from the
outside could be heard the mocking voice of Bart as he shoved the bolts
into their sockets:

"It's deep enough for what I want to use it. You'll do no mischief while
here, an' I reckon the bosses will hunt a long time before findin' you."

Then Sam heard the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps, and thought to
himself as he vainly shook the timbers:

"If those fellows overtook Fred I'm likely to stay here till the mine is
flooded."

CHAPTER VIII

THE PURSUIT

When Fred left Sam to defend the breach in the wall he fully realized
the necessity of giving the alarm quickly, and did not stop to light his
lamp until after scrambling over the barrier of coal.

Once this had been done he ran at his best pace, guided by the wooden
tracks on which the cars were hauled, until he was obliged to halt from
sheer lack of breath. A dull sound in the rear caused him to push on
again very quickly, for he believed Sam had found it necessary to
discharge his weapons.

On making the second halt a few moments later, he detected a certain
scurrying noise which at first he fancied might have been caused by the
rats; but immediately came the voice of a man, and he knew the rioters
were pursuing him.

"I'll get a pretty heavy dose if they catch me," he muttered, hurrying
once more, and when the journey was half finished it became apparent
that the pursuers were gaining upon him.

The lives of others beside his own might be sacrificed, if he did not
win the race, and he bent all his energies to the undertaking. Once he
stumbled, almost fell; but luckily recovered his balance, and darted on,
forced to run upon the ties because the space either side was so narrow.

Nearer and nearer came the men until he could hear their heavy
breathing, and one of them shouted:

"Halt, or we'll shoot!"

Knowing that they might have gotten possession of his gun he had reason
to believe the threat would be carried into execution; but he said to
himself:

"It's better to be killed by a bullet than take what they choose to
give," and the comm