iously watching the working of the machinery; and as Gwyn reached
him, he was once more holding his lanthorn down to see how much the
water had fallen.

The man gave a violent start as a hand was laid upon his shoulder.

"Come back!" shouted Hardock, to make himself heard, and he gazed
wonderingly at the boy, whose face was ghastly. "Here, don't you go and
say young Master Joe has fallen."

Gwyn placed his lips to the foreman's ear.

"Can't fall yet. Send word--ropes--top of ladder at once. Danger."

Hardock waited to hear no more, but dragged at the wire which formed the
rough temporary signal to the engine-house, and the great beam of the
pump stopped its work at once, when the silence was profound, save for a
murmur high up over them at the mouth of the shaft.

"What is it there?" came in a familiar voice, which sounded dull and
strange as it was echoed from the dripping walls.

"Help!" shouted Gwyn. "Long ropes to the head of the outside ladders."

"Right!" came back.

"What's wrong?" came down then in another voice.

"Joe Jollivet--danger," shouted Gwyn, stepping back to reply. "Now,
come on!" he cried to Hardock; and he led the way along the adit from
which, short as had been the time since the pump ceased working, the
water had run off.

No more was said as they hurried along as fast as the sloping position
necessary allowed; and on stepping out on to the platform, Gwyn looked
up in fear and trembling, lest the silken cord should have given way,
and fully anticipating that the ladder would be vacant.

Hardock uttered a groan, but Gwyn had already begun to climb.

"What are you going to do, lad?" shouted the man, excitedly.

"Go up and hold him on."

"No, no; I'm stronger than you." But Gwyn was already making his way up
as fast as he could, and Hardock, after a momentary hesitation,
followed.

Before they were half way, voices at the top were heard. "Hold tight!"
shouted the Colonel, in his fierce military fashion. "Rope!"

Then an order was heard, and a great coil of rope was thrown out, so
that it might fall clear of the climbers, whizzed away from the rock
with the rings opening out, and directly after, was hanging beside the
ladder right to the platform.

There was a clever brain at work on the top of the cliff, for, as Gwyn
climbed the ladder, the rope was hauled in so as to keep the end close
to his hands; and, seeing this, the boy uttered a sigh of relief, and
climbed on, feel