“Because the shaft’s so near. It’s a very bad job, though.”
“But look ye here,” said Hardock, laying his hand on Gwyn’s shoulder, “as you have come, tell me this: how should you try to find out whether it was sea-water we were pumping out?”
“Why, by tasting it, of course,” said Gwyn. “It would be quite salt.”
“Of course!” said Hardock, with a chuckle, “that’s what I did do.”
“And was it salt?” asked Joe.
“No, it warn’t. It was fresh, all fresh; only it warn’t good enough to make tea.”
“Why?” asked Gwyn.
“’Cause you could taste the copper in it quite strong. We shall get the water out, my lads, in time; but it’s a big mine, and goodness knows how far the galleries run. Strikes me that your guv’nors are going to be rich men and— Hullo! What’s he been doing there?”
The boys turned, on seeing the direction of the mine captain’s gaze, and they saw Tom Dinass’s back, as he stood, cap in hand, talking to someone inside the office door—someone proving to be the Colonel.
“Been to ask to be taken on to work at the mine,” said Gwyn.