in the long run!"

The boys had proceeded only a short distance when they heard Canfield
calling to them. A moment later they heard the caretaker's steps
ringing on the hard floor of the gangway down which they were
advancing. He came up to them, panting, in a moment.

"There's something mighty queer about this mine," the caretaker
declared. "It was punk dry only two days ago, and now there are four
or five feet of water where the gangway I started to follow dips down.

"And look there!" Will exclaimed holding his light aloft and pointing,
"you can see plenty of water ahead! I guess all the gangways are
taking a washing, and the water seems to be rising, too!"

"Is there any way by which the mine could be intentionally flooded?"
asked George. "There may be some one planning trouble for the
owners."

"There is only one way that I know of in which the mine could be
flooded intentionally," replied the caretaker. "There is a large
drain, of course, in what is known as the sump. Considerable water
runs off in that way, and the rest of the drippings are taken out by
the pumps. If this sump drainage could become clogged, the mine, of
course, would become flooded though not to such an extent, unless the
pumps were kept constantly at work."

"Then I guess you'd better set the pumps going," Will suggested. "We
can't get into the mine in its present condition unless we swim."