ver both the shafts, and earth was heaped
upon them, so as to cut off altogether the supply of air, and so stifle
the fire. This was on Thursday morning. Nothing was done on Friday; and
on Saturday afternoon the mining authorities met again in council. There
were experts there now from all parts of the kingdom--for the extent of
the catastrophe had sent a thrill of horror through the land. It was
agreed that the earth and staging should be removed next morning early,
and that if smoke still came up, water should be turned in from the
canal.

At six in the morning a number of the leading authorities met at the
mine. Men had during the night removed the greater part of the earth,
and the rest was now taken off, and the planks withdrawn. At once a
volume of smoke poured out. This was in any case expected; and it was
not for another half-hour, when the accumulated smoke had cleared off,
and a straight but unbroken column began to rise as before, that the
conviction that the pit was still on fire seized all present.

"I fear that there is no alternative," Mr. Hardinge said; "the pit must
be flooded."

There was not a dissentient voice; and the party moved towards the canal
to see what would be the best method of letting in the water, when a cry
from the men standing round caused them to turn, and they saw a dense
white column rise from the shaft.

"Steam!" every one cried in astonishment.

A low rumbling sound came from the pit.

"What can have happened?" Mr. Hardinge exclaimed, in surprise. "This is
most extraordinary!"

All crowded round the pit mouth, and could distinctly hear a distant
roaring sound. Presently this died away. Gradually the steam ceased to
rise, and the air above the pit mouth was clear.

"There is no smoke rising," one of the inspectors said. "What on earth
can have happened? Let us lower a light down."

Hoisting gear and rope had been prepared on the first day, in case it
should be necessary to lower any one, for the wire rope had snapped when
the attempt had been made to draw up the cage after the second
explosion, and the sudden release from the strain had caused the engine
to fly round, breaking some gear, and for the time disabling it from
further work. A hundred and forty fathoms of rope, the depth of the
shaft being a hundred and twenty, had been prepared, and was in
readiness to be passed over a pulley suspended above the shaft. A
lighted candle in a candlestick was placed on a sort of