and round, the
light of his lamp fell in turns on all points of the side walls, so
that he was able to examine them carefully. These walls consisted of pit
coal, and so smooth that it would be impossible to ascend them.

Harry calculated that he was going down at the rate of about a foot
per second, so that he had time to look about him, and be ready for any
event.

During two minutes--that is to say, to the depth of about 120 feet, the
descent continued without any incident.

No lateral gallery opened from the side walls of the pit, which was
gradually narrowing into the shape of a funnel. But Harry began to feel
a fresher air rising from beneath, whence he concluded that the bottom
of the pit communicated with a gallery of some description in the lowest
part of the mine.

The cord continued to unwind. Darkness and silence were complete. If
any living being whatever had sought refuge in the deep and mysterious
abyss, he had either left it, or, if there, by no movement did he in the
slightest way betray his presence.

Harry, becoming more suspicious the lower he got, now drew his knife and
held it in his right hand. At a depth of 180 feet, his feet touched the
lower point and the cord slackened and unwound no further.

Harry breathed more freely for a moment. One of the fears he entertained
had been that, during his descent, the cord might be cut above him, but
he had seen no projection from the walls behind which anyone could have
been concealed.

The bottom of the abyss was quite dry. Harry, taking the lamp from his
belt, walked round the place, and perceived he had been right in his
conjectures.

An extremely narrow passage led aside out of the pit. He had to stoop
to look into it, and only by creeping could it be followed; but as
he wanted to see in which direction it led, and whether another abyss
opened from it, he lay down on the ground and began to enter it on hands
and knees.

An obstacle speedily arrested his progress. He fancied he could perceive
by touching it, that a human body lay across the passage. A sudden
thrill of horror and surprise made him hastily draw back, but he again
advanced and felt more carefully.

His senses had not deceived him; a body did indeed lie there; and he
soon ascertained that, although icy cold at the extremities, there was
some vital heat remaining. In less time than it takes to tell it, Harry
had drawn the body from the recess to the bottom of the shaft, and,
sei