"Yes."
"Then tie a few planks together. Make a raft and let it over the side. Work fast, for once in your lives! There are two men down there and they may be drowning."
"Oh, Steve!"
They could hear Bob's voice calling to his companion. The voice sounded far away, for Bob had plunged ahead, beating his way courageously through the waters in the black darkness.
"I hear him. He's ahead of me," Jarvis shouted.
"Can you hold out?" called Mr. Penton.
"Yes—as long as there's water to float on!" the answer came back faintly.
In the meantime the men were ripping up the planks. Several of these they lashed together and let carefully down over the edge of the platform, or what was left of it. They had made ropes fast at both ends, in order that the raft might make a landing platform.
"Now you men let me down," commanded the superintendent.
"You had better let me go, sir," advised the mine captain. "I am lighter than you."