I said, 'That's a hell of a gap. It'll mean de-watering the mine down to that level. You'll be able to gauge the probable position of the lode from the geological charts your father has, but even if the charts are accurate, there'll be a deal of development work to do before you strike the lode. And even then you can't be sure that it's the same lode he saw at the sixteenth level. It may be just a pocket. You'd need a lot of capital with no return for your outlay until you hit the lode. And she'd make a fair amount of water with the sea in this gallery.'
He nodded and shrugged his shoulders. 'Oh, well, it's just too bad.'
'The old man's pretty mad, is he?' I asked.
'Yes. Mad as hell. But you needn't worry. He won't interfere.'
I thought of what I'd do to any son of mine who insisted on letting the sea in on a lode as rich in tin as that, and I wasn't so sure the old man wouldn't interfere. 'It seems a pity,' I said. 'Why don't you throw up the smuggling racket and take to a legitimate business, mining that lode.'
'Because I'm not interested in mining,' he replied.
'But God,' I said. 'If that lode goes down like the old man says it does, you'd both make a lot of money.'
He peered at me, eyes suddenly narrowed. 'What's the idea, Pryce?' he said. 'You don't want to do that blasting job, that's it, isn't it?'
'I don't care what I do here,' I replied, 'so long as I get out of the place quick.'
'Then you stick to your job and leave me to handle my own affairs.'