"If you are ready we will be going now," announced their guide. "Fall
in behind me and go very carefully. You are liable to stumble over
fallen rocks and break some bones. That's almost as bad as being hit
on the head by one, eh?"
"Well, hardly," laughed Ned. "I've got that experience coming to me
still, and I'm in no hurry to meet it."
"Keep as far to the side of this chamber as possible," directed Mr.
Phipps. He proceeded ahead of them, lighting the way with matches,
which served to relieve the darkness a little, casting weird,
flickering shadows on the damp walls and ceiling of the narrow
passage.
To the miner's gratification, the tunnel appeared not to have been
harmed at all, not a stone having been jarred loose so far as he was
able to observe.
"I guess we are in luck, boys," he said in a relieved tone. "All
clear so far. We shall be out in the main tunnel in a few minutes
now. There will be a car along to pick us up very shortly after we
get there."
"Hurrah!" shouted the lads joyously, hurrying forward in their anxiety
to be clear of the place as quickly as possible. "Can you see the end
of the place?"
"No, not yet."
They had just rounded the bend in the tunnel and were heading for the
exit into the main cut. Drawing near to it, they observed that Tom
Phipps hesitated, then began picking his way along with more caution
than before.
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