ply.

During the previous four days the plan had been discussed of cutting
through from the Logan, which was known to have been worked nearly up to
the Vaughan boundary. This would enable them to enter the pit and
rescue any miners who might be alive, but the fact that to erect
pumping gear and get out the water would be an affair of many weeks, if
not months, had caused the idea to be abandoned as soon as broached. To
those who argued that the water had come from the Logan, it was pointed
out that there were certainly several yards of solid coal between the
Vaughan and the Logan still standing, and that as the force of the
explosion was evidently near the Vaughan shaft it was incredible that
this barrier between the pits should have been shattered. However, it
was decided to solve the question one way or the other by an immediate
visit to the top of the old Logan shaft.

They were just starting when they heard a movement in the street, and
men setting off to run. A moment later a miner entered the room
hurriedly. "There be a big smoke coming up from the old Logan shaft; it
be too light for coal smoke, and I don't think it be steam either."

With exclamations of surprise the whole party seized their hats and
hurried off. It was twenty minutes' sharp walking to the shaft, where,
by the time they reached it, a large crowd of miners and others were
already assembled. As they approached, eager men ran forward to meet
them.

"It be gunpowder smoke, sir!"

There was indeed no mistaking the sulphurous smell.

"It's one of two things," Mr. Hardinge said; "either the fire has spread
to the upper workings, some powder bags have exploded, and the shock
has brought down the dividing wall, in which case the powder smoke might
possibly find its way out when the water from the Logan drained in; or
else, in some miraculous way some of the men have made their escape, and
are letting off powder to call our attention. At any rate let us drop a
small stone or two down. If any one be below he will know he is
noticed." Then he turned to the miners standing round: "I want the
pulley and rope that we were using at the Vaughan, and that small cage
that was put together to work with it. I want two or three strong poles,
to form a tripod over the pit here, and a few long planks to make a
stage."

Fifty willing men hurried off to fetch the required materials.

"The smoke is getting thinner, a good deal," one of the managers said.
"Now if