“They won’t explore it right away,” declared Harding. “The inspection of the mine itself will come first.”
Harding proved a good prophet in this.
It was perhaps 2 o’clock in the afternoon when Hal heard footsteps approaching. The three friends listened intently.
Voices were conversing in German, and from their refuge the lads caught the glow of safety lamps.
“Must be four or five of them,” declared Hal in a low voice.
“I hope so,” Harding whispered back. “There must be at least three for the success of my plan.”
The inspectors, for such the lads knew the Germans to be, passed along the mine tunnel so close to the refuge of the three friends that Hal could have reached out and touched one of them.
“We’ll let ’em go by because there may be more coming, though it is unlikely,” said Harding. “You were right, boy, there are four of them.”
The Englishman waited until the four inspectors had turned an angle in the tunnel, and then, quickly removing the debris they had piled in front of them, the three friends stepped out.
“Now,” said Harding “we’ll get as close to that turn as possible, and we’ll nail ’em when they come back.”