"Mother," said the young man, "it is to endeavour to save mothers and wives and children from suffering all these pains; for I would strive to make our mines so safe that the men could win the coal almost without risk. And as for education, father," he said proudly, as he turned to the stern, grey, disappointed man, "is it not by knowledge that we are able to battle with ignorance and prejudice? Don't regret what you have given me, father." "But it seems all thrown away if you are going to be nothing better than overseer of a mine." "Oh, no," said the young man smiling, "it will give me the means for better understanding the task I have in hand; and if, mother, I can only save four or five families from the terrible sufferings we know of, I shall not have worked all in vain." "No, my boy, no," said Mrs Hexton mournfully. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "knowing what I have of pit life, it has made me wretched scores of times to read some terrible account of the long roll of unfortunates burned, suffocated, or entombed, to die in agonies of starvation and dread. Don't be disappointed, father, but let me make my effort, and work with you." The elder seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then held out his hand. "No, Phil," he said, "I won't stand in your way. I'm disappointed because I wanted you to be something better, but--" "Better, father! Could you find a better man than Davy, whom we bless for his lamp?" "Which the reckless donkeys will open in a dangerous gallery," cried Mr Hexton angrily. "No, my boy; Humphry Davy was a man indeed, and if you turned out half as good, or a quarter, I should be proud of you." "That I shall never be, father," said the young man; "but I mean to try." CHAPTER TWO. DOWN IN THE PIT. "Don't tell me, lad; I hevn't worked in t'pit twenty year for nowt. Think I don't know? Him and his newfangled ways are wuth that!" The great swarthy pitman snapped his fingers as he stood in the centre of a group waiting for the return of the cage from the bowels of the earth. All about them was dark and weird-looking, with the lights casting strange shadows where the machinery stood around. There was a hissing noise and a ruddy light from the engine-house, with the panting clank of machinery; pistons worked up, and wheels spun round; while where the group of miners stood there was a square, black-looking pit, surrounded by a massive frame-work, supporting one big wheel, from which depended a thin-looking wire-rope, which was rapidly running down. A few minutes after, and there was the ringing of a bell, the clink-clank of machinery; the wheel spun round in the other direction, and in due time the cage, as it was called, came to the surface; the group of men stepped in, and the signal for descent was about to be given, when one of the men exclaimed: "Here he cooms!"