“Ralph, ye’re lucky!” shouted some one to the boy as he stepped breathless and excited into the group.  “Ye’re just in time for the last carriage.  It’ll not come down but this once, again.  It’s a-gettin’ too hot up there to run it Ye’re the last one from the end chambers, too.  Here, step closer!”

Then Ralph thought of Conway.

“Did Mike come out?” he asked.  “Mike Conway?”

As he spoke a huge fire-brand fell from the shaft at their feet, scattering sparks and throwing out smoke.  The men drew back a little, and no one answered Ralph’s question.

“Has Mike Conway come out yet?” he repeated.

“Yes, long ago; didn’t he, Jimmy?” replied some one, turning to the footman.

“Mike Conway? no it was Mike Corcoran that went out.  Is Conway back yet?”

“He is!” exclaimed Ralph, “he is just a-comin’.  I’ll tell ’im to hurry.”

Another blazing stick fell as the lad darted out from among the men and ran toward the foot of the plane.

“Come back, Ralph!” shouted some one, “come back; ye’ve no time; the carriage is here!”

“Hold it a minute!” answered the boy, “just a minute; I’ll see ’im on the plane.”

The carriage struck the floor of the mine heavily and threw a shower of blazing fragments from its iron roof.  At the same moment a man appeared from a lower entrance and hurried toward the group.

“It’s Conway!” cried some one; “he’s come across by the sump.  Ralph! ho, Ralph!”

“Why, where’s Ralph?” asked Conway, as he crowded on to the carriage.

“Gone to the plane to warn ye,” was the answer.”

“Wait the hoisting bell, then, till I get ’im.”

But the carriage was already moving slowly upward.

“You can’t do it!” shouted some one.

“Then I’ll stay with ’im!” cried Conway, trying to push his way off.  “Ralph, oh, Ralph!”

But the man was held to his place by strong arms, and the next moment the smoking, burning carriage was speeding up the shaft for the last time.

Ralph reached the foot of the plane and looked up it, but he saw no light in the darkness there.  Before he had time to think what he should do next, he heard a shout from the direction of the shaft:—­

“Ralph! oh, Ralph!”

It was Conway’s voice.  He recognized it.  He had often heard that voice coming from the breast of Mike’s chamber, in kindly greeting.

Quick as thought he turned on his heel and started back.  He flew around the curve like a shadow.

“Wait!” he cried, “wait a minute; I’m a-comin’!”

At the foot of the shaft there was a pile of blazing sticks, but there was no carriage there, nor were there any men.  He stumbled into the very flames in his eagerness, and called wildly up the dark opening: 

“Wait! come back! oh, wait!”

But the whirring, thumping noise of a falling body was the only answer that came to him, and he darted back in time to escape destruction from a huge flaming piece of timber that struck the floor of the mine with a great noise, and sent out a perfect shower of sparks.