"I'll run this car down, an' get another if you'll give me a lift at starting it," Sam finally shouted, and Fred came out.

The incline was sufficient to carry the rude vehicle to the switches at the foot of the slope after it was once set in motion, and, using a crowbar as a lever, this was soon accomplished.

Sam ran behind it a few paces, and then clambered up to the brake where he could control the movements of the heavy load.

Fred watched him until the tiny flame in his cap was lost to view in the distance, and then he returned to the tunnel, unconscious that Skip had glided from his hiding-place to follow closely behind.

It was necessary the leader of the regulators should work with the utmost celerity, for if Fred turned he would distinguish the dark form even in the gloom.

Skip had already formed a plan.

He crept close behind the boy whom he hated, until the latter entered the tunnel. Then stooping he picked up the crowbar, and raised it for a blow. In this position he waited until Fred was in the middle of the tunnel clambering over the pile of dirt to get at his shovel.

The time had come.

Swinging the heavy bar once around he struck the bottom of the joist which supported the shoring over head, and the heavy timbers, put up insecurely because they were to be used but temporarily, fell with a crash.

The jar disturbed the earth at the top, and large ma.s.ses fell, completely filling the entrance, burying alive those who were on the inside.

"That settles them, I reckon," Skip cried, gleefully, as, unmindful of the blinding dust, he sprang toward Bill's blouse.

To find the plan of the mine was but the work of a moment, and then, with the precious doc.u.ment thrust in the bosom of his shirt, he started at full speed toward the entrance to the slope.

The crash of the timbers and earth was by no means an unusual sound in the mine, where heavy ma.s.ses of coal were constantly being detached by blasts, and the leader of the regulators had good reason to believe it would be unnoticed. His only care was to avoid Sam, in case he should return sooner than might be expected, and to this end he darted from one cutting to another, until having reached a point from which, at the proper moment, he could gain the slope.

Here he remained partially screened from view until the empty car, which Sam was to send to the new cutting, had pa.s.sed on its way up the drift.

Now he listened intently, and in a few moments came the cry:

"A break! A break, and three men buried! Help on the lower level!"

Those who were near enough to hear this appeal sent the alarm from drift to drift up the slope, until the entire mine seemed to be ringing with the words:

"Help is needed on the lower level!"

In view of all that happened, together with the knowledge that if any attack was made by the Billings' gang it would be on the lower level, every workman ran with all speed to the bottom of the slope, and among the foremost was Mr. Wright.

"What has happened?" he asked of a blacksmith, who was darting toward the chamber in which the tools were stored.

"Bill Thomas, Joe Brace, and a b.u.t.ty are buried in a cutting the fools were makin' up there a piece."

"Go back," Mr. Wright cried to the swarm of men which came down the slope like a living stream. "Not more than twelve can work to advantage, and we have that number here."

"But we want to do our share," an old miner replied.

"You shall have a chance if we do not find them soon. It is not safe to have so many here at once."

All hands understood the reason for this caution, and as the crowd turned to ascend Skip Miller slipped from his hiding place and joined them. He did not fear detection while every one was in such a state of excitement, and even if he should be recognized it would be only natural for him to have followed the men at the first alarm.

It was necessary, however, that he should avoid Donovan, and with the utmost caution he emerged from the slope, running as fast as his legs would carry him on reaching the open air.

Not until Taylor's groggery was near at hand did he slacken speed, and then, a.s.suming as best he could an air of composure, he opened the door cautiously to peep in.

Cale Billings was the only customer, and on seeing Skip, he cried:

"Come in, lad. I reckon you're here to see me."

Struggling hard to prevent his heavy breathing from being observed by the proprietor, the leader of the regulators entered, and whispered:

"There's been an accident on the lower level, an' two or three shut in."

"Explosion?"

"The top of the cuttin' fell in, an' it won't be a easy job to dig em out."

"Was you there?"

Sam nodded his head in a triumphant manner.

"You're a lad after my own heart," Billings said, approvingly, as he extended a huge, grimy hand for the boy to shake. "If half the men here had your s.p.u.n.k Wright wouldn't have got the best of us so easy. Did you fix that thing I told you about?"

Skip nodded his head, and again Billings shook his hand.

"That's what I call business. Let's have it."

The leader of the regulators was about to draw the dearly-earned doc.u.ment from his pocket when the proprietor of the place interfered.

"None of that," he said sharply. "There's somethin' goin' on what ain't straight, an' I won't have it in my shop."

"Do you mean to go back on a friend?" Billings asked in an injured tone.

"Not a bit of it; but the company are lookin' after you mighty sharp, Cale, an' I don't want to get in trouble. There's plenty room out of doors."

"All right, the shop belongs to you; but it may be the losin' of a good customer," and Billings walked out with Skip close at his heels.

"Now give me the paper."

When the doc.u.ment was delivered the man glanced at it to make sure it was the one wanted, and then said in a fatherly tone:

"I reckon you've fixed things to suit yourself if the new breaker boy was in the cuttin' when the roof fell."

"They're diggin' for him now; but I'm goin' to get the worst of this job."

"How so?"

"Taylor will blow the whole thing, an' then Wright will know it was me."

"Ain't I here to protect yer?"