Philip Hexton’s heart beat fast at the sight he saw; and for a moment he felt as if he must turn and run for his life.
But he did not. Bending down half-double, he ran towards the group of men, gaining impetus each moment, till, stumbling over some of the newly hewn-out coal, he was thrown, as it were, full against Ebenezer Parks, his right fist catching the burly miner in the ear, just as he was, pipe in mouth, about to open the lamp, and they fell heavily together, the lamp fortunately being extinguished by the shock.
Chapter Four.
An Unpleasant Threat.
“You villain!” cried Philip excitedly, as he rose, and then seated himself panting upon a lump of coal; “another moment, and you would all have been lying scorched and dying where you now stand.”
“Villain, eh?” roared the great pitman, staggering up with his head bleeding from a cut caused by his fall, “villain, am I, lad? Then I’ll be villain for some’at.”
As he spoke, beside himself with passion, he caught up his miner’s pick, and, but for the quick movement of the young man, would have dealt him what might have been a deadly blow.
“Nay, nay, Eben, lad,” cried one of the men, closing with him, “howd thee hand: we don’t want murder here.” But it was not until a couple more of the miners had seized him by the arms and wrested away the short sharp pick, that he ceased to struggle.