Without leaving the instrument he called up another number.
“Go on. No. 14 was the last.... Take down these numbers, Jack.... 3, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19.... That all?... Good. Get me the figures of losses as soon as you can. Also a note of the damage. Good-bye.”
Behind this disjointed sequence of phrases I had caught hints of the magnitude of the calamity; and I was to some extent prepared for what I heard when he had time to turn to me at last.
“Eleven pits have been destroyed almost simultaneously, Jack. No. 23 and No. 27 went first; and then that list I gave you just now. There are no details yet; but it’s quite evidently malicious. Dynamite, I think, to judge from the few facts I’ve got. The shafts are completely blocked, as far as we know; and every man underground is done for.”
“How many does that amount to?”
“There are no figures yet; but it will run into more than three figures anyway.”
Again the shrill call of the telephone bell sounded. He took up the receiver.
“Yes?... What’s that? No. 31 and No. 33?... Complete block? No hope?... Do your best.”
“Two more gone, before we could get the men up. It’s a very widespread affair. I told you we hadn’t done with the Reverend John.”