"I haven't any idea. Sometimes I thought we'd only been down there a few hours, sometimes it seemed like weeks. I suppose, really, it was about the third or the fourth day.
"I woke up suddenly.
"Somebody was laughing!
"It was a queer high-pitched laugh, and half-choked, something like the neighing of a horse.
"Anton heard it, too.
"'The knockers are coming for us!' he said to me, hoarsely. 'It's just like Father said. They're laughing at us!'
"Well, I don't mind telling you my blood ran a bit cold. I'm not superstitious, but, for the second time in that mine, I was scared enough to run. But where to?
"Anton was gasping horribly; it made me worse to hear him. I put my hand on his shoulder to quiet him. He was trembling and shaking, like as he had a chill.
"The laughing came nearer, and louder.
"The louder it got, the less I was scared. After the first few seconds of fright, I got all right again, and started to think quietly. Then the real reason came to me.