The Iron Boys in the Mines; or, Starting at the Bottom of the Shaft

e found it enshrouded in inky blackness. He

I haven't the least idea where I am, so I gu

g. After a time he came out into a larger tunnel, which, he decided, must be one of the main levels, for there was a narrow track extendi

exclaimed. "I wonder whe

or what seemed hours to him the youthful miner wandered here and there. The fact that he had neit

ul that he had his dinner pail with him, in case he fa

rocks overhead had been shored up with heavy timbers. It was a dangerous spot. Steve understood that witho

ten a little more than half way up when all at once his candle slipped from his

ust get it again before

e. After a little he found it, but the candle was useless. In tramping about

meone if I keep on hunting about. There are more than five hundred men in this mine right now, and unless they are all hiding from me I am bound

ladder had been. He began to climb faster, when all at once he received a shock that wrenched his hands loose fro

t a small space for a man to crawl through to reach the upper level

the lad went tumbling down. He landed on the ground a

But shortly he got up, rubbing his bruises

," muttered Rush.

ing his head against the rocks. But once on the upper level the question arose as to what to do nex

est he could. An investigation had told him that his dinner was s

d egg in the bottom of the pail,

ith feet and hands before he took a step forward. He had gone along in this way

bang' anywhere. That means I am close to some operations. The next thing is to find where the sound come

learly. Steve had swerved to the right and entered a new drift, though he was not awar

and louder as the moments passed. After a time the boy halte

am I to find the way down to it? If I go back I shall be lost.

s voice, but only his own echoes

down the level. The lad recognized it at

there!"

want?" came

m lo

elf, then. Don

. He ran forward to where the miner was ab

se help me, sir

ed the miner in a surly tone, pa

ooner contract. Will you

me to three drifts. Take the middle one to the end

an you spare

I c

. Steve Rush found himself once more left in darkness. At least he had his direction

cated. He took the middle drift, as directed, and hurried along this. He had no idea what time it was, but Steve imagined that it must be near noon

-for Steve Rush was not a boy to whine, no matter how great his adve

when necessary, as ore is always dumped downward into a lower level, from which it is hoisted to the surface, thus saving the labor of loading. It was one of these rises into which Steve had stepped

shot down through the narrow opening, bound for the lower level. He did not know this; he did not know where he was going to land, but he fully expected that this