"ALL THE WHILE BILL WAS TAPPING AWAY WITH HIS HAMMER."
All the while Bill was tapping away with his hammer and drill on the spot pointed out to him, and was making a hole in the rock about the size of a gun-barrel.
"Two feet, Cap," he shouted at last. "That's as far as I can go with this drill, and it's the longest there is in camp."
"That'll do. Charge it. Our job's 'most done."
The night was cool, but the miners had kept themselves warm enough. They were not sorry when their hard-faced little Captain ordered them out of the two holes; but it was odd to see such great, brawny fellows obeying a man who looked almost like a dwarf beside them.
"Got her charged, Bill?"
"All right, Cap."
"Stand back, boys. Touch yer fuse, Bill."