"No; I think not. He was alive when I went to sleep. He may be dead now. Come, we must get him out. How did you get in?"
"Crawled in through that hole. Come along; I'll help you out first. You need looking after, judging from your appearance."
Steve Rush's face was ghastly white and covered with blood in spots. He had sustained a scalp wound where a sharp-edged rock had hit him. It was evident, however, that the powder-man was in much more serious condition. The man was still breathing when Bob peered into his face.
"Yes; he's alive, but I'll help you out now," Jarvis repeated.
"You will do nothing of the sort. This man needs attention first. I'll help you with him. How are we going to get him through that small opening without hurting him?"
"We'll have to do the best we can," answered Bob.
"I'll tell you, Jarvis; you crawl in backwards and I will hand him to you. Tell those on the outside to get hold of your feet and pull when you get far enough in. Do you think he will go through the hole?"
"No; we've got to dig away some dirt inside here first. This end is the smaller. The other is large enough for him. It's lucky he isn't a fat man, or we could not do it."
Together the lads labored industriously for several minutes.
"Are they alive?" called the voice of the superintendent through the hole.