Sappers and Miners Part 61

"That means we're both going to be very rich some day," said Gwyn; "but it doesn't matter. Come on, and let's give old Grip a jolly good run.

Come on, old dog."

Grip did not come, but led off; and they made for the edge of the cliff, which ran along, on an average, three hundred feet above where the waves beat at their feet, but they had not gone far before Joe, who had glanced back, said quickly,--

"What's Tom Dina.s.s following us for out here?"

Gwyn glanced back, too.

"Not following us," he said quickly; "he's making for the bend of the rock yonder."

"Yes," said Joe; "but that's where he knows we shall have to pa.s.s. What does he mean? He must have seen us at the mine and followed."

"I don't know," said Gwyn, thoughtfully; and a peculiar feeling of uneasiness attacked him. "But never mind; let's go on, or he'll think we're afraid of him."

"I am," said Joe, frankly.

"Well, then, if you are, you mustn't show it. Come on. Quiet, Grip."

For though the man was several hundred yards away, Grip had caught sight of him, set up all the thick hair about his neck, and uttered a low, deep growl.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

GWYN'S ERROR.

All at once, as the boys went along near the cliff edge, they found that Dina.s.s had disappeared, and Joe expressed himself as being relieved.

"Went back beyond that ridge of rocks, I suppose," said Gwyn; "but I certainly thought he wanted to cut us off for some reason. Well, it's a good job he has gone."

But a little later they found that Dina.s.s had not gone, for all the while Grip had had an eye on his movements and had acted after the manner of a dog.

For, after about five minutes, there was a sharp barking heard as the boys trudged on.

"Why, where's Grip?" said Gwyn. "I thought he was here."

The barking was repeated, and the dog was seen close to the edge of the cliff a hundred yards away, barking at something below him.

"What's he found?" said Joe.

"Oh, it's only at the gulls lower down. There's that shelf where it looks as if the granite had slipped down a little way. Let's see what he is about."

The dog kept up his barking, and the boys walked up, to find no gull below, but Tom Dina.s.s seated in a nook smoking his pipe, with a couple of ominous-looking pieces of stone within reach of his hand, both evidently intended for Grip's special benefit should he attack, which he refrained from doing.

"Mornin', gentlemen," said the man. "Wish you'd keep that dawg chained up when you come to the mine; you see he don't like me."

"He won't hurt you if you don't tease him," said Gwyn. "Come to heel, Grip."

The dog uttered a remonstrant growl, but obeyed, and Dina.s.s drew himself back against the cliff.

"Safer down here," he said.

"Yes, you are safer there," said Gwyn. "Good-morning."

"One minute, sir, please. Don't go away yet; I want just a word with you."

"Yes, what is it?" said Gwyn, shortly, while Joe gazed from the man to the depths below, troubled the while by some confused notion that he meant mischief.

"Only just a word or two, Mr Gwyn, sir," said the man in a humble manner, which accorded badly with his fierce, truculent appearance; and for the moment the lad addressed thought that he meant treachery, and he, Joe, could not help glancing at the precipice so close at hand.

"You see, I'm an unlucky sort of fellow, and somehow make people think wrong things about me. You and me got wrong first time you see me; but I didn't mean no harm, and things got better till the other day over the bit o' fuss about going down."

"When you behaved like a cur and left us to take our chance. Quiet, Grip?"

"Look at that now!" cried Dina.s.s, appealing to n.o.body--"even him turning again' me. Why, I ought to say as you two young gents went and forsook me down the old pit. Sure as goodness, I thought you both did it as a lark. Why, it warn't in me to do such a thing; and if you'd only waited a few minutes till I'd got my candle right, I'd perhaps ha' been able to save you from being lost. Anyhow I would ha' tried."

"Do you expect us to believe that you did not sneak back and leave us?"

said Gwyn.

"Well, as young gents, I do hope you will, sir. Why, I'd sooner have cut my head off than do such a thing. Forsake yer! Why I was half mad when I found you'd gone on, and I run and shouted here and there till I was hoa.r.s.e as a crow; and when I found I was reg'lar lost there, I can't tell you what I felt. That's a true word, sir; I never was so scared in my life."

"Ah, well, perhaps we'd better say no more about it, Dina.s.s."

"Tom Dina.s.s, sir. Don't speak as if you was out with me, too."

"We both thought you had left us in the lurch; but if you say you did not, why, we are, bound to believe you."

"_Bah_!" said Grip, in a growl full of disgust.

"Quiet, sir!"

"Ay, even that dawg don't take to me," said Dina.s.s, in an ill-used tone.

"But there, I don't care now you young gents believe me."

"All right; good-morning," said Gwyn, shortly. "Come along, Joe."

"Nay, nay, don't go away like that, Mr Gwyn, you'll think better of me soon, when you aren't so sore about it. For I put it to you, sir, as a gentleman as knows what the mine is, and to you, too, Master Joe Jollivet, you both know--Aren't it a place where a man can lose himself quickly?"

"Well, yes, of course," said Gwyn.

"Exactly; well, I lost myself same as you did; and because I warn't with you, everybody's again me--Sam Hardock and Harry Vores, and all the men, even the engine tenter; and that aren't the worst of it."

"What is, then?" said Joe.

"Why this, sir," said the man, earnestly: "They've made a bad report of me to the guv'nors just when I was getting on and settling down to a good job in what seems like to be a rich mine with regular work, and I'm under notice to leave."

"Serve you right for being such a sneak," said Joe, angrily.

"Oh, Master Joe, you are hard on a man; but you'll try and believe me, sir. I did work hard to find you both."