ing their small mining-picks from their belts, one
hurling his into the hole, a wild yell telling that it had done its
work.

"Well," said Mark despondently, "what can we do?"

"Wait and see if they will come out and attack us. We are wasting
strength."

"Yes. It's no good. We ought to have brought a lot of blasting-powder,
Dan, and blown them out."

"Yes, Master Mark; but we didn't know. My advice is that we go back
now, and come again."

"Why, you're hurt," said Ralph excitedly, as he saw the blood streaming
down the man's arm.

"Ah, so's a lot of us, young master," growled the man. "Look at your
own lads."

Ralph took and raised a torch, and saw that half his own party,
including Nick Garth and Ram Jennings, were suffering from cuts and
stabs in their arms.

"Oh, they're nowt," growled Nick. "They've got it worse inside. Now
then, let's go at 'em again, or we shall never do it."

Another yell of defiance came from the passage, followed by mocking
invitations to them to come on again.

"Yah! You aren't men," roared Ram Jennings. "Rats, that's what you
are--rats. Only good to go and fight wi' women."

"It's of no good," said Mark bitterly. "I feel done. I haven't had a
single cut or thrust at one of the brutes; neither have you. We can't
do it."

"I don't like to say so," said Ralph, "but my father was a soldier, and
he said a good officer never wasted his men."

"Well, we're wasting ours," said Mark bitterly, "We must give up, and
come again."

"Stop," whispered Ralph. "I know. Give orders to your men quietly, and
I'll do so to mine. Then we'll throw the torches in at them with all
our might, and give a shout, and retreat as if we were beaten."

"And stop on each side of the mouth to catch them as they pursue us,"
said Mark excitedly, catching at the idea. "That's it."

The next moment they were hurrying from man to man, who heard them
sulkily, growling and panting in their rage. But they obeyed their
leaders' orders, getting their remaining links well ablaze, the holders
forming in front, and the rest quietly and quickly filing out by the
other end of the chamber.

"Now!" shouted Ralph suddenly. "In with them."

There was a rush of light, and the fiery missiles flew in through the
opening, falling amongst the defenders, and leaving the chamber in
comparative darkness, amidst which was heard the quick tramping of feet,
mingled with the yells of rage from the defenders.

Th