"I've got wise to something. Where can we talk?"
"Come over in the drift here. There's no one near by."
The men slipped into a dead drift, extinguished their candles and engaged in earnest conversation.
Bob Jarvis' shrewd eyes had observed the actions of the men. He was sitting in the Spooner contract eating his lunch, but they had not noticed him.
"I wish I could find out what they are talking about," he muttered. "But I am not a spy. I don't know that I care particularly. I'll tell Steve, for I have an idea there is mischief in the air. There they go down the level."
The two men climbed down the ladder to the main level. A few minutes later Steve saw Spooner alone, sauntering along the tracks. When the contractor reached the chute he halted, peering over at the lad as if he had just discovered him.
"Hello, Rush," he greeted, turning and coming over to where Steve was sitting.
"Good afternoon."
Spooner sat down on the bench, and, for a moment or two, nothing was said, Steve continuing with his lunch as indifferently as if the contractor had not been there.