This taught the two buried men plainer than words that it was useless to attempt the finding of another outlet to the labyrinth passages leading from the main shaft into the bowels of the earth.
Hope was abandoned and both sank down in mute despair.
They had but to await death. It was certain, inevitable, and the sooner it came the sooner they would be spared the suffering and misery of their awful fate, more awful than words can express.
CHAPTER IX.
POMP’S ADVENTURES.
Pomp, left alone with the Steam Man, was in a by no means easy frame of mind.
The darky had a singular foreboding that no good would come of the expedition of Frank and Barney.
“I jes’ finks dey oughter hab stayed yer,” he muttered, “but, ob co’se, it was no manner ob use fo’ me to tell Frank Reade, Jr., dat.”
Time passed, and the darky looked anxiously for the return of his friends.
But, for reasons well known to the reader, they came not.
Finally the shadows of night began to settle down thick and fast, and Pomp grew very nervous.