As soon as we had finished tea we went back to the Mermaid. The fall of rock was about the same as before. The water was seeping in faster and the pit below the boards was a small lake. Friar and I re-rigged the ladders whilst the others cleared the rock from the timbers covering the pit. As I worked away with the drill, I noticed Friar getting more and more nervy. And when the others had left with the first load and we were alone up there on the torn scaffolding, he became really scared.
At length I shut off the air and said, 'For God's sake, Friar, what's wrong with you?'
'Wot yer mean?' he asked, his eyes darting towards the gallery below us. 'There ain't nothing wrong wiv me.' But his eyes were wide and his breathing heavy. And all the time I felt he was listening for something. Though with the roar of the compressor it was impossible to hear anything.
'Go on,' he said. 'Get on wiv it, can't yer?'
'What's the hurry?' I asked.
'I told yer — I don't like workin' da'n 'ere. The sooner I'm hup top again, the 'appier I'll be, that's all. Is this the last blow?'
'I don't know,' I said. 'Maybe.' Then I caught hold of him by the shoulders. 'Listen, Friar,' I said. 'There's something worrying you that I don't know about. Suppose you tell me what it is.' And when he didn't reply, I said, 'I'm not doing any more drilling till I know. It isn't the water above us you're scared of. It's something back there in the mine. What did you discover last night?' I shook him angrily. 'You discovered something. What was it? And why are you worried about the old man being locked up safe? It's something to do with the old man, isn't it?'
Slowly he nodded his head.
'Well, come on — out with it,' I said. 'You can't expect me to work down here with you knowing what the danger is. Come on. What are you scared of?'
'I ain't scared,' he whimpered. 'Honest, I ain't.' His Adam's apple jerked up and down as he swallowed. 'It's just that — " He hesitated. Then his eyes looked straight at me. 'You won't tell the Captain, will yer?'