Was some one coming to their rescue through the earth? Or was it all a delusion?
The former theory was at once dispelled. If any friends knew of their presence there they would scarcely go to the trouble of rescuing them by means of digging through a thousand feet of earth.
A few moments’ pulling at the mouth of the shaft would have brought them both out of their difficulty.
As for the latter possibility it was at once dismissed.
“Begorra, Misther Frank,” said Barney, in a mystified way, “phwativer do yez call that?”
“Somebody is digging their way toward us,” said Frank.
“Shure yez don’t suppose it is fairies?” whispered the superstitious Celt.
“Nonsense!”
Frank had hit upon what he believed to be the truth in his own mind.
It had occurred to him that the greasers were conducting mining operations in these hills.