me? I don't want any married men, for you know, lads, there may
be another blow at any moment."

"I will go with you," one of the yard-men said, stepping forward;
"there's no one dependent on me."

"I, too," said another; "it's no odds to any one but myself whether I
come up again or not. Here's with you, whatever comes of it."

[Illustration: AFTER THE FIRST EXPLOSION--THE SEARCH PARTY.]

Jack brought three safety-lamps from the lamp-room, and took his
place in the cage with the two volunteers.

"Lower away," he shouted, "but go very slow when we get near the bottom,
and look out for our signal."

It was but three minutes from the moment that the cage began to sink to
that when it touched the bottom of the shaft, but it seemed an age to
those in it. They knew that at any moment a second explosion might come,
and that they might be driven far up into the air above the top of the
shaft, mere scorched fragments of flesh. Not a word was spoken during
the descent, and there was a general exclamation of "Thank God!" when
they felt the cage touch the bottom.

Jack, as an official of the mine, and by virtue of superior energy, at
once took the lead.

"Now," he said, "let us push straight up the main road."

Just as they stepped out they came across the bodies of two men, and
stooped over them with their lamps.

"Both dead," Jack said; "we can do nought for them."

A little way on, and in a heap, were some waggons, thrown together and
broken up, the body of a pony, and that of the lad, his driver. Then
they came to the first door--a door no longer, not a fragment of it
remaining. In the door-boy's niche the lad lay in a heap. They bent over
him.

"He is alive," Jack said. "Will you two carry him to the cage? I will
look round and see if there is any one else about here; beyond, this
way, there is no hope. Make haste! Look how the gas is catching inside
the lamps, the place is full of fire-damp."

The men took up the lad, and turned to go to the bottom of the shaft.
Jack looked a few yards down a cross-road, and then followed them. He
was in the act of turning into the next road to glance at that also,
when he felt a suck of air.

"Down on your faces!" he shouted, and, springing a couple of paces
farther up the cross-road, threw himself on his face.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE IMPRISONED MINERS.

There was a mighty roar--a thundering sound, as of an express train--a
blinding light, and a scorching heat. Jack