they again went at it. At
length, on the tenth day since the water had rushed into the mine, but a
thin wall remained between them and the imprisoned ones. They had now
come to the most dangerous part of their undertaking, the moment they
had broken away the wall, the compressed air would rush through the
aperture, with a force far greater than the fiercest hurricane, and the
water surging up might drown those within. Still, they knew they must
risk it.

"Now, lads, we'll do it," cried their old leader, and lifting his pick
he struck a blow against the rock. As he withdrew it, the air rushing
through extinguished the lights, and they were left to work in darkness.
Notwithstanding this, in spite of the wind in his face, the old man
worked on with thundering blows. Every moment he brought down masses of
rock until he was convinced that he had made a hole large enough to
creep through.

"Where are you, lads?" he shouted. "Come on, come on!"

Some faint voices replied, he and four others, clambering through the
aperture, each lifted a man in his arms. They could hear the water
rushing in close to them, but they hesitated not. Dragging out their
friends, they staggered along the gallery they had just formed. They
were met by Mark and a party of men carrying lanterns, and battling
against the fierce blast which rushed through the passage. They were
thus soon relieved of their burdens. Quickly reaching the main gallery,
the doctor took the rescued men in hand, having a plentiful supply of
food, medicine, and attendants ready. Though weak and almost exhausted,
the five men in a few hours were sufficiently recovered to be conveyed
up the shaft, where they were received by their relatives and friends,
who long before had given up all hopes of ever again seeing them.

It may be asked how were these men able to live so long during their
imprisonment! Fortunately they had with them a small store of
provisions, and knowing that it might be many days before they could be
rescued, they at once put themselves on the very smallest allowance that
would support life, at the same time the air, which as we have seen was
so compressed by the force of the water, was capable of sustaining
respiration for a much longer period than when of its ordinary density.

There is a very great amount of vitality in the human frame, and where
the wear and tear of active labour does not exist, man can live for a
long period almost without