"Haven't you got a boat?" asked George.

"Why, yes," replied the caretaker. "There's a couple of boats
somewhere in the mine. The operators placed them here thinking they
might come in handy at some future time, but I haven't any idea where
they are now. Still, I think they're not far away."

"If you'll go and set the pumps in motion," Will advised, "George and
I'll look around for the boats. We may need them before the pumps get
under motion the way the water is pouring in now."

"I guess Tommy and Sandy don't come back because they're penned in by
water," George suggested, as the boys began searching the vicinity of
the shaft for the boats.

"If they're anywhere within hearing distance, they ought to answer us
when we called out, hadn't they?" asked Will.

"We haven't tried that yet," George answered. "Suppose we let out a
couple of yells!"

To think in this case was to act, and the boys did let out a couple of
yells which brought the caretaker running back from the shaft.

The boys were listening for some answer to their shouts when he
arrived, and so they paid little attention to his numerous questions.

"There is no time to lose," Canfield went on. "I'll go to the top at
once and call an engineer and a couple of firemen. When you find the
beat, take a trip down the main gangway here and stick your lights