Hope asked if there were any other men there; the miner replied in the negative.
"Very well, then," said Hope, "I'll just take one look at the water here, and I'll be at the shoring in five minutes."
Unfortunately this unwary statement let Burnley know exactly what to do; he had already concealed in the wood-work a canister of dynamite, and a fuse to it to last about five minutes. He now wriggled away under cover of Hope's dialogue and lighted the fuse, then he came flying back to get safe out of the mine, and leave Hope in his death-trap.
But in the meantime Grace Hope came down in the cage, and caught sight of her father and came screaming to him, "Father, father!"
"You here, my child!"
"There's a plot to murder you! A man called Burnley is to cause an explosion at the old works just as you visit them."
"An explosion!" cried Hope, "and fire-damp about. One explosion will cause fifty—ring the bell—here men! danger!"
Then there was a rush of men.
"Ben Burnley is firing the mine."
There was a yell of fury; but a distant explosion turned it to one of dismay. Hope caught his daughter up in his arms and put her into a cavity.