Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-15
CHAPTER N

Blame was alone wrestling with him
self for a full hour, and at the end of
| that time he was called out to some
small duty. He got through it logged
ly, compelling himself to listen and un-
deTstand with as strenuous an urgency
| and compulsion as would have been need
ed to hold a struggling man physically,
and then betook himself to a waste field
hard by, and there walked up and down
in the darkness and the rain.
He did not know how long he had
been thus occupied when a voice hailed
him excitedly, and he ran, shouting in
answer, toward the engine house. The
little remnant of the days crowd was
| gathered closely about it, and he had to
push his way through with some force
until he was recognized and room was
made for him to pass. Three or four of
the more intelligent and instructed of the
wOrkmen were gathered in the engine
room. and with them was mine survey
Or-one Atkinsoh-who had little while
before arrived on the scene prepared to
tender his services in case of need.
Here's a strange thing, Blame" said
the new arrival. 'The water in the
shaft has gone down thirty feet within
the last ten minutes. 1t can't have gone
down in the shaft without having gone
down in the workings, and a draught like
that can't mean anything but this: the
weight of water has broken into some
lower workings that don't know of. and
the Blazer is more than two-thirds drain
ed already"
In the excitement of this news Blame
forgot his personal griefs, and instantly
cf ., -
alton. He called for the plan of the
mine, studied it for a moment and then
turned quietly upon his fellow volunteer.
I'VE can get at them now" he said.
"The fall in the water has left bare this
old air-way, which is bricked up in the
shaft. We must break through at once.
Shadrach, rig things up in the downcast
Mcshach"-this was Shadrach's broth
er-"get lamps and picks. See that the
lamp castings are watertight."
The two men were gone about their
several affairs as briskly as the orders
were conveyed.
'I'll make one" said the new volun-
teer. But it's likely to be a wet job,
and I'll borrow suit of flannels from
one of you chaps. And you'd better do
the same, Blame. It'll be well to have
/
The little crowd outside was excited,
but intensely quiet. The shawled women
stood like grouped statues in the red
glare of the cressets and the murk of
the night Preparations were made rap
idly, without noise or hustle, and in a
few minutes the rescue party was ready
to descend. 1t consisted of Blame, his
momentary colleague, Shadrach and two
who knew that they might be venturing
upon a desperate enterprise, but had
faced the like so often that scarcely a
nerve fluttered among them.
They entered the skip which hung over
the black cavern of the pits mouth. The
word was gwen and they swung down
ward. In a minute the floor of the skip
began to heave beneath their feet like
the deck of a boat at sea-answering to
the regulation of the engine on the bank
and Il second or two later they came
gently to a standstili.
Here" said Blame, striking the brick
ed wall resoundingly with the point of a
pick.
Shadrach lay on the floor of the skip
at full length face downward. The two
other miners steadied him as he hung
He worked the point of the pick into a
crcvice of the WALL and after a tug or
two out came a brick and fell with a
smash into the water, which, from a
couple of fathoms lower down, reflected
the light of the safety lamps with a
sulky and oily CLEAN. He and his com
panions peering into the hole thus made
saw nothing but what looked like a solid
darkness.
Go on" said Blame That's the
place. You'll be through directly"
Shadrach worked industriously, and
the bricks fell fast until there was a
hollow made big enough easily to ad-
NIT of the passage of a man. Shadrach
bridged the chasm between the skip and
the wall with his body and wormed HIM
self carefully through the orifee he had
made; then turning, thrust out a hand
for his lamp.
Its deadly wet" said Shadrach. "I'm
up to mid-thigh in it,
Nobody spoke in answer to this state
ment, but, man by man, bridged the
chasm and entered upon the air-way.
When all were landed they set out upon
a difficult and broken road, which in
places was so low that they were COM
PEELED TO go snakewise. and even then
came into occasional contact with the
sharp ridges of the roof. By and by the
road dipped suddenly. The passage was
higher at this point than it had been
hitherto. and the men could stand in a
crouching posture whilst they paused to
take breath. Blame went down upon
his hands and knees, and thrusting his
lamp before him surveyed the depression
in front.
Lads" he said. turning and looking
upward at his companions. there's wat
er here. fancy we shall have to dive
for IT,"
eThat'n be queer work." said his fell
low surveyor grayely. "lt'll be q bad
business for ANYBODY who gets stuck
!. down there And who's TO know wheth-
err the road rises again and gets free of
water? And il it does, who's TO say
what the distance is;'
"I'n try il feet foremost" said Ned
Blame Il shall come out of it easiest
that way if l find the road too narrow
or too long If you get tap from the
other side you'll know it's pretty easy
TO follow"
He blew out the light of the lamp. and
encased the lamp itself in a waterproof
tin box which was suspended ABOUT ms
shoulder. Then kneeling down again.
he slipped feet foremost into the black
water, and slowly disappeared from
sight. his companions following every
motion with eager glances until the wat
er closed over his head, and bubble
or two rose upon its inky surface. The
little pool Tapped its boundaries idly and
noiSelessly. and the watchers. crouching
immobile and silent. kept their eyes upon
it Suddenly it ebbed By three or four
inches. and second or two isIer was
heard muffied and inward tap. tap tap,
from beyond il.
'sWho goes uext?" asked the volunteer.
t BE careful about your lamps and
: matches, lads"
: The Bard put nut his lamp. encased II
as his predecessor had done. and slipped