Then there was a cry for picks and shovels--some one was buried; and on these being brought the men plied them bravely till there was a warning shout, and the rescue party had only just time to save themselves from a falling wall which toppled over with a tremendous crash, and sent up a cloud of dust.

The men rushed in again, though, and in an incredibly short s.p.a.ce of time they had dug and torn away a heap of broken rubbish, beneath which moans could be heard.

I stood close beside my uncles, as, blackened and covered with dust and sweat, they toiled away, Uncle Jack being the first to chase away the horrible feeling of fear that was upon me lest they should be too late.

"Here he is," he cried; and in a few minutes more, standing right down in a hole, he lifted the poor maimed creature who had been crying for our help.

There was a tremendous cheer raised here, and the poor fellow was carried out, while Uncle d.i.c.k, who, somehow, seemed to be taking the lead, held up his hand.

"Hark!" he said.

But there was no sound.

"If there is no living creature here," he said, "we must get out. It is not safe to work till the roof has been blown down or fallen. If there is anyone alive, my lads, we must have him out at all risks."

There was a cheer at this, and then, as soon as he could get silence, Uncle Jack shouted:

"Is anyone here?"

There was a low wailing cry for help far back beyond the ripped-up boiler, and in what, with tottering wall and hanging roof, was a place too dangerous to approach.

"Come, lads, we must have him out," cried Uncle d.i.c.k; but a gentleman, who was evidently one of the managers, exclaimed:

"No, it is too dangerous."

"Volunteers!" cried Uncle d.i.c.k.

Uncle Jack, Uncle Bob, Pannell, Stevens, and four more men went to his side, and in the midst of a deathly silence we saw them go softly in and disappear in the gloom of the great wrecked boiler-house.

Then there was utter silence, out of which Uncle d.i.c.k's voice came loud and clear, but ominously followed by the rattling down of some fragments of brick.

"Where are you? Try and speak."

A low piteous moan was the reply.

"All right, my lads, down here!" we heard Uncle Jack cry. "No picks-- hands, hands."

"And work gently," cried Uncle d.i.c.k.

Then, in the midst of the gloom we could hear the rattling of bricks and stones, and though we could see nothing we could realise that these brave men were digging down with their hands to try and get out the buried stoker.

The flames burned up brightly, casting curious shadows, and though we could see nothing, lighting the men over their gallant task, while I, as I gazed in, trying to penetrate the gloom, felt as if I ought to be there by my uncles' side.

This feeling grew so strong that at last I took a few steps forward, but only to be seized by a pair of strong arms and brought back.

"Nay, nay, lad," said a voice that I started to hear, for it was Gentles'; "there's plenty risking their lives theer. Yow stay."

Just then there was a hoa.r.s.e shriek of terror, a wild yell from the crowd, for a curious rushing rumble was heard, a dull thud, and another cloud of dust came rolling out, looking like smoke as it mingled with the fire.

In the midst of this the men who had been digging in the ruins came rushing out.

"Part of the roof," cried Uncle d.i.c.k, panting, "and the rest's falling.

Are you all here, lads?"

"Ay, all," was answered as they looked from one to the other in the flickering light.

"Nay, not all," shouted Stevens. "Owd lad Pannell's buried alive. I see 'un fall."

There was a murmur of horror and a burst of wailing, for now a number of women had joined the throng.

"Are you hurt?" I cried anxiously.

"Only a few cuts and bruises, Cob," said Uncle d.i.c.k. "Now, my lads, quick. We must have them out."

The men stopped short, and there was a low angry murmur like the muttering of a coming storm.

"Quick, my lads, quick!"

There was a hoa.r.s.e cry for help from out of the ruins, and I knew it must be our poor smith.

"No, sir, stop," cried the gentleman who had before spoken. "I'd dare anything, but we have sacrificed one life in trying to save others. I have just been round, and I say that at the least movement of the ruins the left wall must come down."

There was a loud cry of a.s.sent to this, and amongst shouts and a confused murmur of voices there came out of the gloom that fearful cry again:

"Help!"

"The wall must fall, men," cried Uncle d.i.c.k loudly. "I can't stand and hear that cry and not go. Once more volunteers."

Half a dozen men started out of the crowd; but the peril was too great.

They shrank back, and I saw my three uncles standing together in the bright light of the burning building, blackened, bleeding, and in rags.

Then Uncle d.i.c.k put out his two hands, and Uncle Jack and Uncle Bob took them. They stood together for a short minute, and then went towards the tottering wall.

"Stop!" cried the gentleman. "You must not risk your lives."

For answer Uncle Jack turned his great manly face towards us and waved his hand.

Then they disappeared in the gloom, and a curious murmur ran along the great crowd. It was neither sigh, groan, nor cry, but a low hushed murmur of all these; and once more, as a dead silence fell, we heard that piteous cry, followed by a hoa.r.s.e cheer, as if the sufferer had seen help come.

Then, as we listened in dead silence, the rattling of brickwork came again, mingled with the fluttering of the flames and the crackle and roar of burning as the fire leaped up higher and higher from what had been one of the furnace-holes, and across which a number of rafters and beams had fallen, and were blazing brightly, to light up the horrible scene of ruin.

Battle and crash of bricks and beams, and we all knew that my uncles must be working like giants.

"I daren't go, Mester Jacob," whispered Gentles. "I'd do owt for the brave lads, but it's death to go. It's death, and I daren't."

All at once, as everyone was listening for the fall of the tottering wall, some one caught sight of the moving figures, and a deafening cheer rose up as Uncle d.i.c.k appeared carrying the legs and Uncles Jack and Bob the arms of a man.

They came towards where I was standing, so that I was by when poor Pannell was laid down, and I went on one knee by his side.