"I—I don't know."
Steve dashed out. A new idea had occurred to him. He rubbed the smoke from his smarting eyes as he emerged into the open. The lad was so dizzy on account of the smoke from the burning mine that he could scarcely keep his feet.
As soon as he was able to collect his senses he glanced toward the shaft where the lumber skip went down into the mine to carry the timber for the bull gang, the timber used in shoring up the levels to keep them from caving in.
There was smoke there, too, but Rush noted that it was not nearly so dense as in the main shaft.
"I don't believe there is much fire near that shaft. I hope the men have been able to get to that part of the mine."
The Iron Boy started on a run for the lumber skip.
"Where's your skip?" he demanded sharply.
"On the first level."
"Jerk it up here! Why aren't you bringing up the men on it?"
"I haven't had any orders to do so."