“By jiminy! This beats me!” ejaculated Dick. “Let’s follow that rope down and see who or what is pulling on it!”
“Not on your life!” chorused Beals and Rogers. “It’s too darned black and spooky-looking down there!”
Dave Wilbur also appeared reluctant to penetrate further into the mine.
“All right, you fellows keep one of the lanterns, and Dick and I will take the other and see what’s going on down below,” said Ned, “but instead of walking down the track we’ll ride down on the car. You can handle the winch and let us down slowly and be all ready to haul us up again when we yell.”
“That’s what I call pretty soft!” grumbled Dave. “I wish I had enlisted with Dick! All the hard work is going to be up at this end!”
Ned and Dick climbed upon the car; Beals released the brake of the winch and the car started of its own weight.
“Keep your foot on the brake, Fatty,” warned Ned. “Don’t let her get going too fast or she’ll jump the track!”
And then as the snaky cable reeled steadily from the winch-drum, the dump-car, carrying the two lads, swayed and jolted downward into the blackness of the tunnel.
CHAPTER XXI
TRAPPED IN THE MINE
As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead. The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car. Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.