"Are you able to try it again?" asked Bob.
"Yes. What happened?"
"The rope broke. You got a pretty hard bump."
Another sling had been quickly rigged, and this being let down, Mr. Penton was drawn up again, Bob waiting below, but standing to one side, so that in case another accident occurred he should not be carried down, too.
The next trip Jarvis was drawn up. He found the superintendent a little dazed, but holding himself together firmly.
"Thank you," he said shortly, flashing a look at Bob. "We must get Rush up at once where he may have care. Carry him over to the cage. Leave everything as it is here. We have no time to attend to anything but the boy."
The men picked up the lad and bore him through the sub-level. Steve was still limp and unconscious.
Reaching the cage, Mr. Benton gave the signal to hoist. The car did not move, whereupon the superintendent, with an impatient exclamation reached out, giving the signal lever another pull.
"What does this mean?" He rang again to hoist the cage. "Bob, run up to the telephone on the next level and find out what's the matter. The Evil One himself seems to have taken possession of this mine of late."
Jarvis came running back a few minutes later.