ly trying to devise some means
for being present at the approaching meeting in the mine.

Noting this, Derrick said, "I did not bring the tracing just to show
what sort of work I could do, sir, but because I think it will lead us
to where we can hear what they say at that meeting."

Instantly the mine boss exhibited a new interest. "Explain it," he said.

Then Derrick told him of the old drift-mouth he had discovered, and said
he felt confident that if they followed the gangway leading in from it
they would reach the top of the old air-shaft into which Bill Tooley had
fallen, and up which had come the voices of the Mollies at their
previous meeting.

"If we could get there by this back way it would be capital!" exclaimed
the mine boss. "In that case my presence in the mine would be unknown
and unsuspected; whereas, if we should go in as you did, from the other
end of the old gangway, we could hardly escape discovery. If that route
proves practicable a great load is lifted from my mind; for, somehow or
other, I must find out what these Mollies are up to. You are of course
sure of the correctness of the plans?"

"My father drew them," answered Derrick.

"I was not questioning your father's accuracy; I only wanted to know if
this tracing was an exact copy of the original."

"Yes, sir, it is," answered Derrick, though with a slight hesitation in
his voice as he thought of the one place he had not been quite sure of.
This was where the plan had been somewhat blotted and blurred, so that
he could not see whether or not two lines joined each other. Having made
up his mind that they ought to be joined, he had thus drawn them on his
tracing. It was such a small thing that he did not consider it worth
mentioning. Thus, without meaning to make a false statement, he said
that his tracing was an exact copy of the original, and by so doing
prepared the way for the serious consequence that followed.

Derrick was a fine, manly fellow, and was possessed of noble traits of
character, but like many another boy he was inclined to be conceited,
and to imagine that he knew as much if not a little more than his
elders. Nor was he backward in parading his knowledge, or even of
allowing it to appear greater than it really was.

In the present instance he was proud of the confidence reposed in him by
the mine boss, and of the skill with which he had prepared the plan of
operations they were now discussing. It really seemed to him that h