"You look about on that side, Bob. Be careful that you don't fall into the shaft. Here is sawdust on the floor, but I presume the men did that when they put in the new support. Hello! I've got something."
Steve triumphantly held up a saw that he had found.
"This may mean something and it may not. We shall find out when we get back again."
Suddenly the boy uttered an exclamation.
"What is it?" demanded Bob, hastening over to the spot where Steve was pulling something from between the platform and the rock wall of the shaft. What he had found was a piece of plank from which two pieces had been split off. At the breaking point on each end they plainly saw the cut of a saw.
"Well, what do you think of that?" muttered Bob. "Is that the plank that held up the post?"
"Judging from the mark in the middle, I should say it was. Bring the old post over here."
Bob did so, and at Steve's direction placed the end of the post on the broken piece of plank. The post fitted the faint outline perfectly.
"Well, what do you think of that?" breathed Jarvis.
"That somebody has tried to make a clean job of getting me out of the way. That plank was sawed partly through so that it might not break at once, but would do so when any extra weight was thrown upon it. We must find those other pieces, Bob. Look about. I guess we'll have something to report to Mr. Penton."