Year: 1871




for though armed only with shovel ano
pick, they were as daring and as gener
GUS as ever belted Prince who rode with
lance in rest to right imaginary wrongs
| and they were ready now to risk every
danger to save the poor fellow buried in
the mine beneath.


On reaching the scene, L found oul
machinery apparently uninjured; but
looking more close.y 1 discovered that
| the pump was raising not n drop of wa
ter, and it would not be long before the
entire mine would be flooded. The pump
must be relieved at once or we could
not hope to save the mine, much less tc
rescue our friend.


ed miner, who had worked at his trade
in every mining country, from the
English Channel to the Pacific Ocean
and who, for his skill, courage and ex-
peHence, was the mining oracle of ou1
camp, l pointed him to the pump,
which was wearing itself out in vain,
for it lifted no water.


"Bob," said 1, "we must fix that
pumpl 1t is our only hope to save Lit
tie jimmy


"We'lI fix it," replied Bob, quietly.
The pump is starved-choked up at
the bottom. Well fix it; and as for
the poor lad, we'll git un out"


Bob was a West of England man, and
his dialect stuck to him.


"We'n git un out bonny. think he
bean't dead. I've helped men out in
the Old Country and this too an God
will help us we'n git un out now won't
us, Benny?"


Benny, thus appealed to, answered
with an emphatic " You 6et,' and the
next moment he and Bob, followed by
two others, were clambering down the
steep and slippery fight of ladders that
led into the mine, until their candles,
glimmering like stars, were one by one
swallowed up in the black shaft. Axes
had been sent down in bucket, and in
q few moments were heard blows ring
ing on the mass of wood and iron that
composed the barrel of the pump. They
were cutting holes to let the water into
the pump below. 1t had already risen
above their waists, and the mouth of the
lowest drift was nearly submerged.


The machinery was cracking and
groaning and the wheel dashing round,
but it was idle show, and the mine was
filling up, and soon the men would be
driven out but meantime we could
hear the blows of the axes. Presently
the clumsy walking-beam quit groaning,



wheel had stopped for moment, then
began to move slowly and went round
with surge.


There was great rush of water
through the pump, aud it was all right.
Our old wooden pump was equal to the
occasion. The food-gates were opened
on the great overshot wheel, and it was
to do its best 1t rushed round
and in an hour the mine was
freed from water, so that men could
press into the drift.


1t was arranged that if Little Jimmy
were found alive, the fact should be tele-
graphed aloft by two strokes of the signal
bell; but if dead, one tap should an
nounce it. Men were working under
ground as only such men could work.
They had been told off into gangs of
four each, which spelled or relieved each
other every fifteen minutes; and as they
advanced into the avalanche of rocks
and earth that filed the drift, every
inch had to be propped by heavy tim
bers, for the vast mass above them had
been shaken and had lost its cohesion,
and at any moment might crush down
like mountain.


Presently, to those who waited above,
there came sharp peal of the bell
then another. He was alive What
shout went up from the men assembled
there Out of the the depths of that
canon, above its cliffs and crags, and
over the trees that waved on their sum-
nits, and above the mountains that tow
cred beyond-far above them all it rose
ike incense. 1t assembled into heaven,
or it was a prayer-a prayer of thanks
giving and of praise not formed in
peech, not framed in language-but the
of the heart that cannot be
Uttered in words.


My story is done. Little Jimmy had
been overwhelmed with an avalanche,
lis candles extinguished, and he dashed
1own with his face to the earth; but
,he rocks and timbers had formed an
lrch over him. He was borne down to
,he earth, and the water had risen round
him and resting his elbow on the
ground, he was just able to support his
head above it. In little while he would
nave drowned where he lay, but he was
afe now.


Strong hands had dragged him out
If this grave. They had harnessed them
elves to the "horse whim," and hoisted
him into the glorious sunshine. They
bore him to his cabin, and placed him
n the the tender care of '"Doc." Here
We will leav1 him.


The three drinking saloons in our lit
le camp proclaimed open doors and
rec whisky for the rest of that day and
IS the boys were about to take drink,
Bob Piper asked leave to offer a senti-
nent "Gennelmen," said he, Z" l told
you we'd git un out, if so be God would
lelp us. GennelERen, he did help u.s."


'' YoH betF' was the applauding and
,mphatic resDOnse