Several miners crowded toward them with eager greetings, but they moved
aside at sight of Pesquiera's companion, who made straight for those
from below.

"What's new, Tregarth?" he asked of one of them, a huge Cornishman.

"The drill have brook into the Last Dollar tunnel. The watter of un do
be leaking through, Measter Davis. The boss sent us oop while Tom and
him stayed to put the charges in the drill holes to blow oot the wall.
He wouldna coom and let me stay."

Davis thought a moment.

"I'll go down the shaft and wait at the foot of it. There'll be
something doing soon. Keep your eye peeled for signals, Smith, and when
you git the bell to raise, shoot her up sudden. If the water's coming,
we'll be in a hurry, and don't you forget it. Want to come down with me,
Tregarth?"

"I do that, sir." The man stepped into the cage and grinned. "We'll
bring the byes back all right. Bet un we do, lads."

The cage shot down, and the New Mexican sat on a bench to wait its
return. Beside him was a young doctor, who had come prepared for a
possible disaster. Such conversation as the men carried on was in low
tones, for all felt the strain of the long minutes. The engineer's eye
was glued to his machinery, his hand constantly on the lever.

It must have been an hour before the bell rang sharply in the silence