The foreman of the pumping plant was the first to find evidence of this trouble. He hurried forward, consternation on his face.
"Mr Owens, the pumps have quit working!"
"What's wrong?"
"Pipes busted, sir, probably. The turbine's goin' all right, but she's suckin' air."
"How much water were you throwing this morning?"
"Over three thousand gallons an hour, sir."
"H'm, it won't take long to drown the mine at that rate. And if there are any poor fellows cut off—"
He turned to the store-house keeper.
"Got plenty of spare pipe?"
"Lots of it, sir."