Dominick let out a yell as he felt himself being torn loose from the bar. The Italian floundered. Bob's grip slipped and Dominick dropped head downward.

"He's gone! Oh, what a fool I am!" groaned Jarvis.

But the Italian had not gone. Steve Rush had twisted his own legs about the bar, allowing himself to turn over until he was hanging head downward, both hands gripping one foot of the man Dominick. The latter was howling l.u.s.tily.

"Get hold of us, Bob," cried Steve.

Jarvis, suddenly recalled to his duty, began edging along the rod until he had reached a point where he was able to hold the Italian until Steve righted himself.

It was a hard struggle, but after a few minutes the two boys succeeded in rescuing their companion and placing him beside them on the iron bar.

Dominick was trembling from head to foot. He was so unnerved from his narrow escape that for some moments he could not speak.

"Brace up!" commanded Steve, slapping the man sharply on the cheek.

This brought the Italian around almost instantly. He began chattering angrily in his own language, and in his anger at the blow would have struck Steve had he dared to take his hands from the slender support long enough to do so.

Rush laughed at him.

"Don't lose your temper, Dominick. I was only trying to brace you up.

You are all right now. Hang on until I get some of these guard bars free. I'll have a support for all of us in a moment. Sit perfectly still or you may jar me off, even though you do not fall off yourself."

For the next few minutes the Iron Boy busied himself wrenching loose the bars that fitted into the opening of the cage to prevent the pa.s.sengers from falling out. These he laid across the bottom, securing them to the f.l.a.n.g.es of the cage. They fitted snugly.

"There," announced Steve, after completing his task. "This will be just as good as a solid floor so long as neither of you moves about too much and displaces them. Get over there, Dominick. Now we are all right! They can haul us up just as soon as they want to. I, for one, shouldn't mind feeling something solid underneath me for a change."

"No such luck!" growled Jarvis.

A slight jolt cut short their talk. The lads listened, but heard nothing.

"Something has gone wrong with the machinery," said Steve in a low tone.

"I shouldn't be surprised if we had to stay here for a long time."

"No, the cage is moving!" cried Bob excitedly. "Hooray, we're saved!"

"Not yet," answered Steve, as the cage came to a jarring stop after having moved upward a few inches.

CHAPTER II

AN UNEXPECTED PROMOTION

THE hours dragged wearily along, the cage resting motionless, save for an occasional jolt, in the dark shaft. Long ago Steve Rush's candle had burned out, the hot grease dripping down over his hat brim.

All at once, without the usual jarring warning, the cage began to move slowly upward. Being off the track, it b.u.mped along not unlike a handcar running on the ties of a railroad, banging from side to side of the shaft, threatening every instant to precipitate the three men to the bottom.

"Hang on, fellows!" cried Steve. "Watch out that those guard rails do not jar loose. Keep your hands on the ends, and at the first sign of trouble get over on the iron rod."

The others did as he directed.

"You've got the only real head in the mines," grumbled Jarvis.

Rush did not answer. He was too busy looking out for their safety to indulge in further conversation. It was the longest and roughest ride that any one of those three men ever had experienced, and the way up through the shaft seemed many miles. At last a faint light filtered down about the cage.

"We are getting near the top," announced Bob.

Steve nodded, but did not reply. The light grew stronger.

"Sit steady," warned Rush. "Do not attempt to leave the cage until I tell you, unless you want to get a dandy tumble."

Just then the cage was drawn out into the full daylight, where it stopped. They heard excited voices about them, then a face peered up under the edge of the cage.

"h.e.l.lo, out there!" called Steve.

"There are men in the cage. They're alive!" cried a voice.

"Yes; help us out," ordered Rush in a matter-of-fact tone. "Our quarters are somewhat cramped."

"Shove some planking over the shaft," commanded a voice that the boys recognized as belonging to Superintendent Penton. "Be quick about it.

h.e.l.lo, in there!"

"h.e.l.lo, sir," replied Steve.

"Who are you?"

"I am Steve Rush."

"Are you alone?"

"No; Bob Jarvis and Dominick are with me."

"I might have known it. Heaven be praised that you are safe. How many men were on the car?"

"Four besides ourselves."

"Did they fall?"

"Yes; you will find them at the bottom of the shaft," answered the boy sadly.

The shouting without quickly died away. Planks were cast over the shaft opening, forming a platform on which the men might drop.

"Lower the cage a little," ordered the superintendent.

This was done. Steve was the first to leap down to the platform, followed quickly by Bob Jarvis, then by the Italian. The moment Dominick felt the solid planking underneath his feet, he uttered a yell and started on a run for home. Mr. Penton shouted to him to halt, but Dominick seemed deaf to all outward sounds. He was hurrying home to tell his wife of his hairbreadth escape from death.

In the meantime Mr. Penton had sprung forward, grasping the hands of the Iron Boys, which he wrung heartily, the tears almost blinding his sight, for he had grown to be very fond of these two manly young fellows.