"Go on the best you know how; I'll give you a bit of an idea about ourselves while we're walking."
The gleam of the lamp Sam wore in his cap was sufficient to show the way, and by the time the entrance to the slope had been reached the butty boy knew the whole story.
"Billings' gang won't be able to do anything till after the day shift go on, an' I think it would be a good idea to let the superintendent know what has happened. Why not stay here till I tell him part of the story?"
"Go ahead," Brace replied. "We'll wait for you."
"Will you tell my mother that I am all right?" Fred asked.
"She shall hear of it first," Sam said, as he stole out into the open air, as if fearful of being seen.
"Why didn't we go with him?" Fred asked when he was alone with Brace.
"Because nobody knows how far the plan to flood the mine may have gone, and by showing ourselves the villains may begin the job too soon to be prevented."
It was yet dark. Instead of having been imprisoned in the tunnels twenty-four hours, as Fred had believed, less than eight were passed there.
That Mr. Wright believed the news Sam brought to be of vital importance was shown by his coming with the boy with the utmost speed, and on entering the shaft he said to Brace: