"An explosion, an' we're penned in here to starve to death," Sam replied, in a trembling voice.
"Can't we dig through this bank and reach the hole in the roof?"
"There is no longer any lower level, as we knew it, and unless we could make a new drift there'd be no use working."
"But this part of the mine seems to be all right."
"Yes, unless there's another explosion I reckon we can stay here 'til—"
"'Till what?"
"We shall starve to death after a while."
This mournful conversation was interrupted by Skip, who came running down the slope with the most abject fear written on every feature of his face.
Familiar as he was with the mine he had no need to ask for the cause of the noise, and understood as well as Sam the little hope there was for life.
"Are you shut in, too?" he cried.