et me go up?"

"Some tapping? What--Oh, I understand. OK! Go ahead," ticked the
despatcher. "Get back as soon as possible."

"I will."

"All right, Muskoke," cried Wilson, hastening forth, struggling into his
coat as he ran.

"Get round thar," shouted the cowboy, swinging the spare pony to the
platform. Wilson went into the saddle with a neat bound.

"Say, you've seen a hoss before, kid," observed Muskoka with surprise as
he threw over the reins.

"Sure I have. Used to spend my summer vacations on a farm. Can ride a bit
standing up," said Wilson, with pride.

They swung their animals about together, and were off on the jump. As the
two ponies stretched out to their full stride the cowboy eyed Wilson's
easy seat with approval. "Well, kid," he observed after a moment's
silence, "next time I come across a dude I'll git him to do his tricks
before I brand him. I don't see but what you sit about as good as I do."

Wilson's pleased smile gave place to gravity as he returned to the
subject of the explosion. "When did it happen?" he asked.

"Early this morning. Just after the men went in. They're not sure, but
think it was powder stored at the foot of the shaft down to the lower
level. The main lead of the Pine Lode, you know, runs straight into the
mountain, not down; and the shaft to the lower level is a ways in. We
heard the noise at the Bar-O.

"There's nothing much to see, or do, though," the cowman added as they
raced along neck and neck. "A big rock just over the entrance came down,
and when they got the dirt away they found it had bottled the thing up
like a cork. It's that they are afraid to blast until they know how the
men are fixed inside. Hoover and Young got in through a small hole at the
top, Hoover about half an hour before Young. He started tapping on the
pipe too, then stopped. They don't know what happened to him."

Twenty minutes' hard riding brought them to the foothills. Still at the
gallop the ponies were urged up a winding rocky trail, and finally a tall
black chimney and a group of rough buildings came into view.

"There it is," said the cowboy, indicating a ledge just above.

As they went forward, still at full speed, Wilson gazed toward the mine
entrance with some astonishment. Mine disasters he had always thought of
as scenes of great excitement--people running to and fro, wringing their
hands, excited crowds held back by ropes, and men calling and shouting.
Here, about a spot but litt