ut he came upon a party of men,
evidently posted as sentries. These roughly told him that if he didn't
want to be chucked into the canal he'd best go home to bed; and this,
after trying another road with the same result, he did.

Jack walked with Harry as far as the railway-station, mentioning to
several friends he met that he was off again. The lads crossed the line,
went out of the opposite booking-office, and set off--for it was now
past five, and already dark--at the top of their speed in different
directions. Jack did not stop till he reached the engine-house of the
Vaughan mine. The pumps were still clanking inside, and the water
streaming down the shoot. Peeping carefully in, to see that his friend,
John Ratcliffe, was alone, Jack entered.

"Well, John," he said, "the engine's still going."

"Ay, Jack; but if what's more nor one has told me to-day be true, it be
for the last time."

"Look here, John; Mr. Brook has been a good master, will you do him a
good turn?"

"Ay, lad, if I can; I've held on here, though they've threatened to
chuck me down the shaft; but I'm a married man, and can't throw away my
life."

"I don't ask you to, John. I want you to work hard here with me till six
o'clock strikes, and then go home as usual."

"What dost want done, lad?"

"What steam is there in the boiler?"

"Only about fifteen pounds. I'm just knocking off, and have banked the
fire up."

"All right, John. I want you to help me fix the fire hose, the short
length, to that blow-off cock at the bottom of the boiler. We can
unscrew the pipe down to the drain, and can fasten the hose to it with a
union, I expect. You've got some unions, haven't you?"

"Yes, lad; and what then?"

"That's my business, John. I'm going to hold this place till the
soldiers come; and I think that with twenty pounds of steam in the
boiler, and the hose, I can keep all the miners of Stokebridge out. At
any rate, I'll try. Now, John, set to work. I want thee to go straight
home, and then no one will suspect thee of having a hand in the matter.
I'll go out when thou dost, and thou canst swear, if thou art asked,
that there was not a soul in the house when thou camest away."

"Thou wilt lose thy life, Jack."

"That be my business," Jack said. "I think not. Now set to work, John;
give me a spanner, and let's get the pipe off the cock at once."

John Ratcliffe set to work with a will, and in twenty minutes the unions
were screwed on and the ho