Down the Slope

CHAPTER VIII

THE PURSUIT

When Fred left Sam to defend the breach in the wall he fully realized the necessity of giving the alarm quickly, and did not stop to light his lamp until after scrambling over the barrier of coal.

Once this had been done he ran at his best pace, guided by the wooden tracks on which the cars were hauled, until he was obliged to halt from sheer lack of breath. A dull sound in the rear caused him to push on again very quickly, for he believed Sam had found it necessary to discharge his weapons.

On making the second halt a few moments later, he detected a certain scurrying noise which at first he fancied might have been caused by the rats; but immediately came the voice of a man, and he knew the rioters were pursuing him.

"I'll get a pretty heavy dose if they catch me," he muttered, hurrying once more, and when the journey was half finished it became apparent that the pursuers were gaining upon him.

The lives of others beside his own might be sacrificed, if he did not win the race, and he bent all his energies to the undertaking. Once he stumbled, almost fell; but luckily recovered his balance, and darted on, forced to run upon the ties because the space either side was so narrow.

Nearer and nearer came the men until he could hear their heavy breathing, and one of them shouted:

"Halt, or we'll shoot!"

Knowing that they might have gotten possession of his gun he had reason to believe the threat would be carried into execution; but he said to himself:

"It's better to be killed by a bullet than take what they choose to give," and the command only served to quicken his pace.

Minute after minute passed; no shot was fired, his breath came in quick gasps, and it seemed impossible to continue the flight many seconds longer. The pursuers were now within a few yards, and nothing could be seen ahead. Whether the lower level was close at hand or a mile away he could not decide; but in his despair he shouted for help.

"Pick up some chunks of slate an' see if you can't hit him. At this rate we shall soon have to turn back."

One of the men stopped long enough to gather an armful of fragments, and as he continued the pursuit threw them with murderous intent at the fugitive.

Two passed very near the almost exhausted boy's head; but none inflicted any injury, and he shouted again and again for those who were working at the pumps.

At the very moment when Fred lost all hope a tiny ray of light appeared from out the gloom, and he cried for help once more; then fell headlong to the ground.

When he next realized anything he was surrounded by miners, who had evidently been running, and one asked, impatiently:

"Can you tell us what happened, lad, an' how them sneaks managed to get in here?"

"Have they gone back?"

"Indeed they have; we chased them the matter of half a mile, an' then concluded it was time we got the story from you, for it might not have been safe to pass the first drift."

In a few words Fred told his story, adding as it was ended:

"There is a big crowd of them, and all hands are bent on flooding the mine."

"We don't care to have them drown us out like rats, so I reckon there'll have to be some fightin' done before that little game is played."

"But what about Sam?"

"They've got hold of him for sure; but he'll have to take his chances with the crowd, for we can't help him now."

"They'll kill him!"

"I don't reckon there's much chance of that, lad; but if there was we couldn't do a thing. I'd go farther than most anybody, for he was my butty, an' a right good boy; but he's in the hole to stay 'till the company get the upper hand of them as would kill their best friends to injure the bosses."

Fred knew it was Bill Thomas who spoke in such a tone of utter helplessness, and there could be no doubt as to the correctness of his statements.

"I'd go back alone if I had the gun."

"Then it's lucky you left it behind. Best go up the slope an' tell Donovan what has happened here, so's he can send men to the old shaft. Say to him that we'll be through in a couple of hours more, an' want him to start the pumps, for we're workin' in four feet of water."

After stationing one of their number as guard the miners resumed their labor, and Fred started toward the slope, bent on inducing Donovan to take some steps for the relief of Sam.

Wearied by the previous exertions he made but slow progress, and when he reached the breaker at least half an hour had elapsed.

Those who had been left to guard the mine were on duty in positions where their bodies would be sheltered in case of an attack with fire-arms, and in a group outside were forty or fifty of the rioters.

"Bill Thomas wants to know if you will start the pumps? They are working in four feet of water," Fred said, as he approached Donovan.

"It can't be done now if the whole level is flooded. These fellows have made two rushes, and are gettin' ready for another."

"Don't you suppose this is to prevent you from discovering that a portion of the rioters are getting in through the old shaft?" and Fred told of what had occurred in the drift.

"That's jest the size of it; but what can be done? We can't spare a man from here."

"There are surely more at the store who would help us."

"Very likely; but they won't come while this crowd is here."

"If Mr. Wright knew what was going on he could send a party to the shaft."

"Yes, if he knew it."

"Why not send him word?"

"How?"

This was a question. Fred did not answer, and Donovan continued:

"There's no chance by which any one could get from here to the store, while that gang of murderers keep watch over all our movements."

"It is nearly night. In an hour it will be too dark for them to see what is going on."

"Who will take the risk of trying to slip past them?"

"I will."

"You'll be in a worse box than Sam is, if they catch you."

"Something must be done, and since you can't spare anybody to go to the poor fellow's assistance I'm ready to take my chances while trying to help him."

Donovan did not reply until after looking carefully around as if calculating the probabilities of success, and then he said:

"I've a mind to let you attempt it. If the soldiers don't arrive before morning, and Billings' crowd are coming through the old shaft as you say, we must have help soon, or give up the fight. There is a chance you will get past all right, and I'm certain we can expect no one to come unless we say it is impossible to hold out longer."

"I am ready to go."

"Very well; wait until it is dark, an' then you may make a try for it."

It would have pleased Fred better, if he could have been actively employed at once, for the knowledge that Sam was in the power of the rioters troubled him more than personal danger would have done; but nothing remained save to wait as Donovan said, and he tried to be patient.

From the men on guard he learned that Mr. Wright's house had been attacked; but the mob contented themselves with destroying the windows and setting fire to the stable. The building itself yet remained intact, and there was reason to believe no more outrages, except such as might be committed near the mine, would be committed.

"Them as are standin' in with Billings don't really know what they want, except as he tells them," Fred's informant said, "an' that's what makes things of this kind dangerous. If the men understood exactly the cause of such rows, there'd be little trouble."

"But since they don't, what will be the result of this one?" Fred asked.

"That's more'n I can tell. The mob may quiet down, an' then again they may grow worse, so there's no sayin' what'll happen. Anyhow, you don't want to take many chances on your way to the store."

"I've got to help Sam."

"Right you are; but at the same time you ain't called on to take too big risks. Don't start unless things look favorable for gettin' through all right, 'cause Cale Billings ain't a nice sort of a man to meet when he's on the top of the heap."

"Sam is in his power."

"How do you know?"

"It is only reasonable to suppose so."

"Then all the more cause for you to keep away from him. I'd like to have some one to see the boss; but I haven't got the nerve to send a boy instead of goin' myself."

Since this was a direct reflection upon Donovan, Fred refrained from making any reply, and the conversation ceased.

Twice before dark the rioters made a demonstration in front of the slope, as if bent on effecting an entrance, and each time Fred fancied more men were sent in the direction of the old shaft.

It was not for him to make any suggestions, however, and with a heavy heart he watched the maneuvers, believing that each moment saw Sam in more peril.

A messenger was sent to the miners in the lower level telling them that the pumps could not be started, and urging all hands to hold the drift against the rioters; but that was everything which could be done under the circumstances, and the most vulnerable point was virtually left unguarded.

When night came the lawless party built several fires between the slope and the shaft, very much as if they wished to show that they were on guard, and Donovan motioned to Fred as he walked a few paces down the drift.

"I didn't want the others to hear what I said, for it's just as well they shouldn't know what a scrape we're in. If you can get to the store, tell Mr. Wright that he mustn't wait for the soldiers; there's no question but Bill Thomas' party have got their hands full keepin' back them as come in by the shaft, and it can't be long before we'll be snowed under. It's about twenty to one now, an' in case of a rush the matter would be settled mighty quick."

"If I can leave the mouth of the slope without being seen there'll be no trouble."

"Half a dozen of us will go out a short bit, an' you shall follow on behind. There ought to be a chance of slippin' off, an' if there isn't we'll have to give it up, for I'm not willin' you should take too big risks."

Fred threw off his coat and vest that he might be in good condition for running, and then as the men marched out of the slope he crouched in the rear.

The rioters made no demonstration; but stood ready to repel an attack, watching closely all the maneuvers, and Donovan whispered to the boy:

"It won't do to try it, lad. They are scattered around in such a way that you couldn't get a dozen yards before bein' seen."

"I'm going to try it."

"Don't, lad, don't," several said quickly, and, fearing he might be forcibly detained, Fred started.

He went straight back from the slope, bending low in the vain hope of escaping observation, and having gained a distance of an hundred feet set off at full speed, forced to run in a half circle to reach the road.

To those who were watching it seemed as if hardly a second elapsed before a great shout went up from the rioters.

"The sneaks are sendin' for help!"

"Stop that boy!"

"Don't let him get away!"

These and a dozen other orders were given at the same time, and those rioters who were nearest Fred began the pursuit.

"He'll never reach the store," Donovan said sadly, as he led the way back to the slope when Fred was swallowed up by the darkness. "Even if these fellows don't overtake him there are plenty between here and there who'll hear the alarm."

CHAPTER IX

JOE BRACE

During the first five minutes after he was locked in the short drift, Sam Thorpe gave himself up to unreasoning anger. He threw himself again and again upon the timbers as if believing it would be possible to force them apart, and shouted at the full strength of his lungs until he was literally unable to speak louder than a whisper.

Then recognizing the uselessness of such proceedings, he sat down to think over the matter calmly.

"If Fred succeeded in giving the alarm, I'm not in very much danger of being drowned out," he said to himself; "but if he was caught I can count on dying in about two hours."

With this mental speech came the assurance that he had yet a hundred and twenty minutes in which to fight for life, and he resolved not to waste a single second.

The lamp in his cap gave sufficient light for a thorough examination of his prison, and it was soon made. A solid wall of earth and slate surrounded him, the only outlet was through the doors, which were of planks and thickly studded with nails that they might be strong enough to resist a heavy pressure of water.

His only weapon was a stout pocket knife; but even with a saw he could not have cut his way through.

The hinges were next examined. They were fastened to large joists which in turn had been set firmly into the strata of slate.

The only weak point he could find was where the two doors came together, and the flat bolt was exposed. Its entire width and about an inch of its length could be seen thickly covered with rust, and here Sam decided to direct his efforts.

"There isn't much chance I can cut it through in two hours," he said; "but it's better to work than lay still thinking of what may happen."

Breaking the stoutest blade of his knife he began with the jagged surface to scratch at the iron. While cutting through the rust his progress was reasonable rapid; but on firm metal was very much like filing a boiler plate with a pin.

Then the blade of his knife was worn smooth, and he broke off another piece, repeating the operation until the steel had been used to the hilt.

The bolt was cut nearly half through; but as he judged, two hours must have passed.

"If they succeed in flooding the mine I shall still be a prisoner when the water comes," he muttered, and at that moment he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

Two or more had come from the direction of the shaft, and halted near the door.

"It's no use to try and fight our way into the drift through the hole," he heard one of the new-comers say, and recognized the voice as that of Cale Billings.

"Are you goin' to give up beat!"

"Not much. Inside of an hour we'll have fifty men here, and while the fools think we are trying to get in by the slope a tunnel can be made from one of the smaller cuttings."

"What good will that do?"

"If I ain't mistaken we shall come out on the second level where it'll be no more than child's play to get the best of both crowds."