The men looked at each other with blank faces.
"Hast seen Brook?" Jack asked eagerly.
"Ay, he passed our stall with Johnstone ten minutes ago, just before the blast came."
"We may catch him in time to stop him yet," Jack said, "if he has gone round to look at the walling of the old goafs. There are three men at work there."
"I'll go with you, Jack," Bill Haden said. "Our best place is my stall, lads," he went on, turning to the others; "that is pretty well the highest ground in the pit, and the air will keep good there as long as anywhere—may be till help comes. You come along of us, mate," he said, turning to the man who worked with him in his stall.
As they hurried along, Jack, in a few words, told what had taken place, as far as he knew it. Five minutes' run brought them to the place where the masons were at work walling up the entrance to some old workings. They looked astonished at the new-comers.
"Have you seen the gaffers?"
"Ay, they ha' just gone on. There, don't you see their lights down the heading? No; well I saw 'em a moment since."
"Come along," Jack said. "Quick! I expect they've met it."
At full speed they hurried along. Presently they all stopped short; the lights burnt low, and a choking sensation came on them.