Paul! where was he amid all this danger and confusion?
Had he already got out of the mine, or was he still at his station back
in the dark gangway, unmindful of danger? Perhaps somebody had seen him.
Derrick shouted, "Where is Paul Evert? Has anybody seen him?"

The answer came in the voice of one of the mule-boys. "Yes, I seed him,
'bout five minutes ago, when I run out de las' load. He ain't come out
yet."

Could Derrick leave him down there, to take his chances of getting out
or drowning, while he sought safety for himself?

With one instant of agonized thought he decided that he could not.
Snatching up a can of oil on which his eye happened to light as it stood
by the track just at the foot of the slope, he dashed into gangway No.
1, shouting as he did so, "I'm going to try and get Paul Evert out! If
we don't get back come and look for us; we'll hold out as long as we
can."

They tried to stop him, and shouted to him to come back; that there was
no hope, and he was only throwing away his own life; but he paid no
attention to them, and was gone before they could prevent him.

He had hardly disappeared from their sight when the water began to rush
and roar up from the mouth of the lower slope, in a froth-crowned,
surging torrent. At the same instant it poured out from the old gangway,
to which it had access through the air-shaft up which Derrick and his
companions had escaped.

They knew by its great leaps and spurts that some other reservoir had
broken loose, and that before it found the level it was seeking the
whole mine must be flooded and drowned. There was no more thought of
saving property, but each man became intent only on escaping with his
life from the swirling flood.

They had got several cars fastened together, ready for such an
emergency, and now these were quickly filled with grimy-faced,
frightened men and boys. The signal was given to hoist. There came a
strain on the great cable, and as the fierce waters rushed at them, and
even flung their black, wet arms about them as if to hold them back, the
cars were drawn up, slowly up, beyond reach of the destroying flood,
towards daylight and safety.

At the top of the slope was another scene of wild anxiety and confusion
most pitiable to witness. Men, women, and children stood, without other
protection than their thin garments, in the pitiless rain, praying,
shouting, discussing, asking questions which nobody could answer, and
crowding forward to s