“How d’yer know?”
“’Cause I brought back your knife as lay just where I reached.”
Neb Dumlow grunted, and Bob drew a series of very long breaths.
“Rayther hot in there, sir, and Neb had swallowed up all the fresh air there was.”
“And precious little too. I could ha’ swallowed bucketsful more if I’d had it.”
“Lor’! what a fuss you two chaps make,” said Barney. “I knowed that’s how it would be. There, shut your eyes, both on you, and see yer father do it.”
“You’re not going, Barney?” I whispered.
“Oh yes, I am, sir. I can do it.”
“Yes, sir, let him go,” said Bob. “He’s a reg’lar conger-eely sort o’ fellow, as can wiggle hisself through a gas-pipe a’most. You let him go, and see what he can do.”
“Yes, sir, let me have a try,” said Barney, and I reluctantly consented, though I had very little hope of his getting through.