Year: 1876

to descend the shaft.


'' Blow the letter - said Bill; "he'll
tell us all about that when we get him
out. Are we to keep him there all day
while we stand here parleying like pack
of towards p


"I-I'm not afraid to go down there,
of course" said Mike, but we all
know that this here is a queer kind of
business, from first to last-that is, as
far as we've got in it."


I" Well, then, Mike, you and CO."
sail Bill. Just drop the end of the
rope into the shaft and we'll work it
along to the bottom as we coon it
down the ladders. Take your candle,
Mike"


Mike took the candle into a rather
unsteady hand, and then waiting until
Bill was down few feet, got upon the
top of the notched pole and began de-
scending backward, as crawfish travels.


Slowly and steadily the two men de-
scendcd the shaft, slipping from notch
to notch in the long slender poles. AS
we stood Mt the edge of the wide open
ing and eagerly gazed down into it, we
could distinctly see our two companions
and mark their slow descent by the flick
ering light of their candles. Now they
were passing over the west sidc of tho
shaft; soon they turned and were seen
coming back to the east side, on which
we stood; anon they took another lad
der, and again moved to the west. Each
time when they thus crossed the shaft
they came to little platform on which
rested the foot o: one ladder and from
which started the top of the next below
and SO they toilsomely zigzagged their
way down, tue light of their candles
growing smaller and smaller till all we
saw rcsembled two little stars.


Finally the two twinkling stars went
over to the west side of the shaft and
stopped side by side. A murmuripg, as
Of the voices OF persons in conversation,
then came up the shaft.


"Pay out more rope |" shouted Bill.


The rope was slowly run out.


All right! That's enough |" cried
Bill


Again hum of voices was heard, then
came the order from Bill: "Haul up;
haul slowly and carefully Slowly
slowly-slowly Hold! Hold on now;
that will do p


There was more buzzing Of voices,
then Bill cried out: " Hello, up there p


Hello cried we.


II AIN going to-bring him up
the ladders," said Bill, sending his mes.
sage up in sections, so that it would not
become tangled on the way. "I shall
leave-the rope around him. Keep the
slack hauled up-but don't pull hard.
Do you understand 2"


Cali right |" cried 1. owe know how
it is"


Then they started up the ladders.
They halted to rest at each platform
AS they crossed the shaft in their slow
ascent we could see, after time, that
Bill was ahead, keeping the rope proper
ly taut; that Mike was boosting" in
the rear, while dark lump was moving
upward between the two. Gradually
they worked their way up, resting and
climbing.


Finally, as they approached the top,
we were able to catch occasional
glimpses (over Bills shoulders) of a pale
face and black, bushy beard. Then,
when they reached the last ladder, slop-
ing mp toward us, there was added to
the picture q pair of black and eager
looking eyes-hungry looking is prob
ably the better expression.


We at the top became SO much ex-
cited that we came near "yanking" the
man up to the top of the shaft Mt single
haul-wouid have done 80, perhaps, but
for the wa. ming cries of Bill, whom we
were in danger of dislodging from the
notched pole onwhich he had a precari.
ons footing.


"All this time my candle was stuck
into Il bit of clay at the bottom of the
shaft. 1t was fast being consumed,
which l could not afford, therefore L
blew it out and sat down in the dark.
My feelings may, perhaps, be imagined,
but l cannot describe them. / wanted
to tliIfk-to do some good strong
thinking-but my thoughts and my
brain seemed to spin around in a circle,
and all / did was to repeat over and over
the one word: Lost lost lost = Lost
was all could say all could get my
brain to comprehend.


I" lay down and rocked myself to and
fro on the ground, not remaining still
for moment, save when occasionally
paused to gaze up at the little square of
light that marked the top of the shaft.
Once in thus tossing about struck my
head against the wall of the shaft This
gave me an idea that / stopped for
to consider; it was that might
ut last dash ont my brains against the
rock when there seemed to be nothing
else to 90.


This did me..some good, and begun
to think again. 1t appeared to me that
1 had seen something floating in the wa
ter in the other part of the shaft during
the time my candle was burning. tried
to remember what it was. There were
several objects. They were not bits of
wood or bark, but something else-just
what could not recollect. This both
cred me 80 much that determined to
light my candle and see what was in the
water. / found two dead rabbits--all
bloated and green-three or four small