Poor Barney was beside himself with terror.
“Bad cess to the omadhouns!” he muttered. “I wud jest loike a chance fer to git a whack at them greasers wid a good shillelah. I’d vinture to clane out the lot av thim alone.”
“You will hardly get the chance, Barney,” said Frank, lugubriously. “I fear that we are done for.”
“Bejabers, thin, I’ll cum back an’ haunt the omadhouns, that I will!” cried Barney, angrily.
But now they reached the bottom of the pit.
Only a faint light could be seen overhead, and all was dense gloom.
Gradually, however, as their eyes became accustomed to the shadows, they were able to distinguish objects within reach.
No sooner had they struck the bottom of the shaft, than the rope came tumbling down after them.
What a terrible position was theirs!
One thousand feet below the earth’s surface, at the bottom of a mining shaft.