The fellow, luckily, had an axe with him, so, without more delay, we lowered him into the shaft, and set him at work shoring up the sides, so that others could work without danger of the earth caving in.
We had just got him employed, when Bill, the man who had first appealed to the inspector for help, again joined us, having been absent in search of friends to lend assistance.
"I can't get a man to aid me," he cried, "unless I promise to pay them for their labor."
"Well, then, you must pay them," briefly rejoined the inspector, who, with coat off, was hard at work cutting timber in proper lengths for shores and supports.
"And ruin myself by so doing," the heartless wretch exclaimed, in a sulky manner, and with the expression of a fiend.
The inspector made no reply, but continued his labor, and without delay we joined him.
"I don't suppose these young fellers would be willin' to allow me two shillin's per hour for workin', would they?" the impudent scamp asked, appealing to the inspector.
"Hark ye, Bill," Mr. Brown said; "if you are not stripped and in that shaft in less than five minutes, I'll not only drive you from the mines, but I'll levy on your property to pay all the expenses of this job. I know where you keep your dust, and can lay my hand on it at any time."
The brute, without a moment's delay, removed his heavy guernsey frock which he wore, and was lowered to a place beside the Scotchman.
By the time we had got fairly at work, we were joined by Smith, who had remained behind to attend to the wants of his cattle, and the honest fellow, without a moment's delay, lent us his powerful aid.