"It's ten minutes of seven," Harry reminded him.
"Get ready, men," Tom shouted to their few laborers, who were enjoying a few minutes leisure after breakfast.
At seven o'clock the young engineers and their handful of toilers moved over to the point in the outcropping vein of ore that Reade had selected for their first blast.
A small portable engine had already been fired, and all was ready for turning on the steam drill.
Twenty minutes later a satisfactory boring had been made.
"Bring up the dynamite," called Tom.
"Are you going to pack the charge?" Harry inquired.
"Yes," nodded Tom, and received the stick of dynamite from the miner who brought it.
While this was being made ready, Hazelton superintended the laying of the wires to the magneto battery. All was soon in readiness.
"The red flag is up," Tom shouted.