In a short time the three had the old horse packed and were on the trail.  The snow was deep and progress slow.  As they walked up the trail the stranger described the appearance of the fallen rock as best he could.  He told them that they had been working the tunnel as fast as possible and that they had not been as careful as they should have been about propping the ceiling.  He said they had struck considerable water, and that the black rock seemed to have been previously loosened by some great force, for it was cracked in every direction.  They had been spending the day putting in temporary props, and the boss had been there superintending the job.  He had been urging the men on harder every day, as he seemed so anxious to get the tunnel in to a certain point with the least possible delay.  The boss had in mind something very definite, however, for he often referred to a certain sketch which he always carried in his pocket book.  The miner declared he had seen the boss make calculations many times, after he had measured the depth of the tunnel.

“Yes, the boss was in the mine, too—­had been there all day.  It might be that he is dead this moment, for all I know,” said the stranger.  From his description of the boss, Tad guessed that it was no other than Mr. Williams himself.

When the mine was reached, operations were at once commenced to remove the fallen stones.  Tad took command, and several times he thought he heard the sound of hammering from the other side—­but, perhaps, after all it was only an echo.  After a careful examination, it was decided that all the loose rock had fallen, and that to remove it was not dangerous.  They began work at the top in order to make a hole big enough to reach the men.  They had not worked long when they heard sounds from the other side.  They were not all dead at least, and if they could but get to them before they suffocated all would be well.  The imprisoned miners evidently understood the plan of action, for the sounds from the other side indicated that they, too, were working at the top of the wall.  By night a small opening was made and messages exchanged.  There were seven men inside—­one dead, two very badly hurt, and the others bruised and cut, but able to help themselves.  Water and hot food were passed to them, then the work of rescue was taken up in earnest.  Mr. Williams had a fractured leg and was unconscious, but was still living.  Instead of rushing to the solid wall end of the tunnel, where he would have been comparatively safe, at the first sign of danger he had rushed toward the entrance with one other man, and had been struck down by the falling stone.  If he had started out thirty seconds sooner, he would have been crushed to death, as his companion was.

Late that night a large enough hole had been made to move the wounded men out.  Tad was the first to enter, and the first man to be brought out was Williams.  Tad picked him up in his great strong arms and tenderly carried him to the cabin.  By midnight the broken leg was dressed and the cuts and bruises bandaged.  Tad proved as good a nurse as he was a miner.  As he worked over Williams a great pity filled his heart, for Tad knew only too well that he had been anything but a happy man.