THE EXPLOSION AT THE VAUGHAN.
t twelve o'clock on a bright summer day Mr. Brook drove up in his dog-cart, with two gentlemen, to the Vaughan mine. One was the government inspector of the district; the other, a newly-appointed deputy inspector, whom he was taking his rounds with him, to instruct in his duties.
"I am very sorry that Thompson, my manager, is away to-day," Mr. Brook said as they alighted. "Had I known you were coming I would of course have had him in readiness to go round with you. Is Williams, the underground manager, in the pit?" he asked the bankman, whose duty it was to look after the ascending and descending cage.
"No, sir; he came up about half an hour ago. Watkins, the viewer, is below."
"He must do, then," Mr. Brook said, "but I wish Mr. Thompson had been here. Perhaps you would like to look at the plan of the pit before you go down? Is Williams's office open?"
"Yes, sir," the bankman answered.
Mr. Brook led the way into the office.
"Hullo!" he said, seeing a young man at work making a copy of a mining plan; "who are you?"