Sappers and Miners Part 85

"Do you think Tom Dina.s.s was below?" said Gwyn.

"Yes, poor fellow. He's a man I never liked; but there, he never liked me. No one saw him go down, but he's never been seen since."

They left the silent mine--only so short a time back a complete hive of industry--and went on to Harry Vores' cottage, where the owner was busy gardening, and Sam Hardock was seated in the doorway sunning himself, but ready to try and rise on seeing the two lads, though he sank back with a groan.

"How are you, gen'lemen? How are you?" he cried cheerily. "Very glad to see you both about; I can't manage it yet. Water's got in my legs; but the sun's drying it out, and as soon as I can walk I'm going to see about that bit of business. You know."

"There drop it, Sam, old man," said Vores, who had left his gardening to come up and shake hands. "Glad to see you gentlemen. Been down by the mine? Looks sad, don't it, not to have the smoke rising and the stamps rattling?"

"Don't you interrupt," said Hardock. "I want to talk to the young masters about him. Have you told the guv'nors what I said about Tom Dina.s.s?"

"'Course they haven't," said Vores. "He's got a crotchet in his head, gentlemen, that poor Tom Dina.s.s made a hole, and let in the sea-water."

"Crotchet? Ah, I know, and so do they. I say he did it out o' spite."

"How?" said Vores, with a grim smile at the visitors.

"I don't say how," replied Hardock; "but if we knew we should find he sunk dinnymite somehow and fired it over one of the old workings."

"Struck a match and held it under water, eh?"

"Don't you talk about what you don't understand," said Hardock, sternly.

"You ask the young gentlemen here if shots can't be fired under water with 'lectric shocks, or pulling a wire that will break bottles of acid and some kinds of salts."

"Well, if Tom Dina.s.s did that," said Vores, sharply, "I hope he blew himself up as well; but it's all a crank of yours, old man. Tom Dina.s.s never did that. Let the poor fellow alone where he lies, somewhere at the bottom of the mine."

"Ah, you'll see," said Hardock--"You give my dooty to your fathers, young gentlemen, and tell them I'd be glad to see them if they'd look in on me. I'd come up to them, as in dooty bound, but my legs won't go. I s'pose it's rheumatiz. I want to hear what they'll say."

"Do you think the mine can be pumped dry again, Sam?" said Gwyn, suddenly, "so as to get to work once more?"

"Do I think I could dive down among the breakers with a ginger-beer cork and a bit o' wire, and stop up the hole? No, I don't, sir. That mine-- the richest nearly in all Cornwall--is dead, and killed by one man out o' spite."

Vores caught Gwyn's eye, gave him a peculiar look, and tapped his forehead; but Hardock caught the movement.

"Oh no, I arn't, Harry Vores. I'm no more cracked than you are; but I won't quarrel, for you and your wife have been very good to me, and you did a brave thing when you come down that hole and got us out."

"Yah!" cried Vores, "such stuff. Why, anyone would have done it. You would for me. There, I don't mean you're mad--only that you've got that crook in your mind about Tom Dina.s.s. Well, it's a blessing the poor fellow had neither wife nor child to break their hearts about him."

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

THE GENERAL WIND-UP.

The days wore on, and the Colonel and Major shook their heads at Sam Hardock when he made his accusation as to the cause of the catastrophe; while the captain went about afterward in an aggrieved way, for he could get no one to believe in his ideas. The Colonel and his partner took the advice of an expert, and in a short time it was announced that no effort would be made to pump the mine dry, a few hours' trial by way of test proving that the water could not be lowered an inch.

The work-people were all liberally paid off, and began to disperse, finding work at different mines; and after several consultations, the Colonel and his old brother officer being quite of the same mind, an interview was held with a well-known auctioneer, and the whole of the machinery was announced for sale.

Just about this period, without saying anything at home, Gwyn and Joe, who had pa.s.sed a good deal of time beneath the cliffs at low-water, to try and find out anything suggestive of an attempt being made to destroy the mine by an explosive--finding nothing, however, but a few places where the rocks had been chipped down by the point--determined to examine the spot from which they had escaped by the help of Vores.

The latter being consulted, expressed his willingness to go, and Sam Hardock was asked to accompany them, but he shook his head.

"No," he said, "my legs are all right again; but there aren't nothing to be got by it, and I should advise you all not to go."

But another actor in the late adventures expressed his willingness to be of the party, and tore off at full speed one morning when, well provided with candles, matches and magnesium wire, they started off, following the edge of the cliff, till, about a mile west of the mine, Grip seemed to take a plunge into the sea and disappear.

"Knows his way again," said Vores, laughing; and upon the spot where the dog had disappeared being reached, a way down for some forty or fifty feet was found, close by which a narrow opening, with the debris lying about as the pieces had been chipped, met the eye.

On approaching this, Grip made his appearance, barking loudly, and then turned and went in again.

"Will you go first, sir?" said Vores; and Gwyn led, candles being lit as soon as they were a little way in.

They followed the descent for the most part on all-fours, and lastly by creeping and pus.h.i.+ng the lanthorns on in front, till at last the long, low, sloping cavern was reached where so terrible a time had been pa.s.sed.

The floor was littered with broken stones, the result of the shot that was fired, and for a few moments Gwyn knelt there listening, expecting to hear the hiss and roar of the wind dislodged by the pressure of the water; but the only sound heard was the rustling and panting of those who were following; and as soon as Joe was out they went together to the descent into the mine.

Here there was no way down farther than about twenty feet; then the water lay calm, smooth and black.

"It was higher than this when we were here, Joe," exclaimed Gwyn.

"Yes, right over the floor."

"Pressed up by the confined air, perhaps, gentlemen," said Vores; and with this explanation they had to be content.

"But about how high above the sea are we here, Vores?" said Gwyn.

"No height at all, sir. According to my calculation, as we came down, we are about sea-level, and the mine must be full."

They returned, bringing a few crystals as mementoes of their adventure; and that evening, when the Major was at the Cove house, Gwyn was about to bring the specimens out and relate where they had been that day, when the servant announced the comma of two visitors, and Messrs. Dix and Brownson, the solicitors, who seemed to be now on the most friendly terms, were shown in.

Their visit was soon explained. They had seen the announcement, they said, of the sale, and they thought it, would be a pity to remove all the machinery, as it was in position for carrying out the working of the mine.

Finally, they were there for the purpose of making the Colonel a liberal offer for the estate, house, mine, machinery, everything, as it stood.

Mr Dix was the chief speaker; and when he had finished, and stood smilingly expectant that the Colonel would jump at the offer, he was somewhat taken aback by the reply,--

"But I do not want to sell my estate. This has been my home, sir, for years."

"But as you wish to sell the machinery, my dear sir," said Mr Dix, "surely you would not mind parting with the mine now?"

"Indeed, but I should," said the Colonel.

"Then you will try and clear it, and commence work again?"

"Never, sir," said the Colonel, emphatically.

"Surely, then, you would not hinder others from adventuring upon what may prove a failure, but who are still willing to try?"