There were more than a hundred men employed in the lower workings, and it was a certainty that not one of them could have escaped death; the attention, therefore, of the engineers would be concentrated upon those parts of the mine that might possibly be left above water." "On the second night of our imprisonment we heard a distinct reply to our signal; the old man who was of our company began to weep for joy, though he was doomed, as it turned out, poor soul! never to see the light.

'We shall be saved,' he said; 'do not fear.' We knocked again, and again the reply was heard--they had found us out, and would never relax their efforts to save us.

'God bless them!' said we all.

We laid our ears close to the rock, and presently heard the strokes of the pick, but not very distinctly.

When the other said he was afraid the rock was thick, the old man cried out: 'No, it was not that; it was because we were dull of hearing.' The fact was, that the seam was not only thick, but very hard.