During this scene Allan McClain listened to all that was said without
speaking a word. Shortly afterwards the mine boss, meeting him alone,
said, "I am sorry, sir, to be obliged to include you in my apparent
discourtesy, but you know that if I made a single exception I could not
enforce my rule."

"I know it, Mr. Jones," was the pleasant answer, "and I do not expect
any privileges that may not be extended to the rest. Your action will,
however, make no difference to me, as I expect to leave the village
to-day."

Allan McClain did take the afternoon train away from Raven Brook, after
bidding his companions good-by; but none of them knew where he had gone
or the reasons for his departure.

The pumping of the mine was so successful that two days later the water
in it was lowered a few feet below the roof of the great chamber at the
bottom of the slope. The mine boss had watched it closely, going down
almost every hour to note the change of its level, and he now decided
that the time had come to begin more active operations.

The day before, a sturdy young man, much begrimed with coal-dust, and
wearing a rough suit of mine clothes that had evidently seen long
service, had presented himself at the mouth of the slope, and asked
leave to take part in the rescue, in case there was any way in which he
could be made useful. He said that he came from the neighboring colliery
of Black Run, where the Raven Brook men had once rendered good service
during a time of disaster, and that his name was Jack Hobson. The mine
boss had thanked him for his offer of assistance, and said he would
gladly accept it if he found an opportunity. The young man remained near
the scene of operations, making himself so generally useful, and
performing with such promptness and intelligence any little task given
him, that the mine boss took a decided fancy to him before the day was
over.

Now that Mr. Jones wanted three reliable men to go down with him and
make an exploration, he selected Tom Evert, Jack Hobson, and another
young miner who had a brother among the victims of the flood.

The departure of this little party was watched by a great crowd of
people, who realized that if work could not be begun at once there would
be little chance of finding any of the imprisoned men alive. Among the
spectators were many reporters, any one of whom would gladly have paid a
round sum to be taken along, and thus gain an opportunity of describing
the appearance