"Go in, if you think you can get through," nodded the superintendent. "Better tie a rope to one foot before you start, so we can pull you out if you get wedged in." While Bob was making ready, the official got down on his hands and knees and examined the opening in the attempt to satisfy himself that it would be safe for a man to go through. A moment more and Bob Jarvis was wriggling through the little tunnel on his stomach. There was still so much smoke in the drift that he nearly choked as he pulled himself up and began groping about in the darkness. Now that he was in he lighted his candle, and there before him lay the man and the boy. Bob gave Rush a violent shake. Steve opened his eyes. "So you're all right, eh?" "Ye--yes. Have--have you come to li--lick me?" mumbled Steve closing his eyes. "No; I've come to get you out of this hole. We'll talk about the licking later on. Is the other fellow dead?" Rush pulled himself to a sitting posture at this. "No; I think not. He was alive when I went to sleep. He may be dead now. Come, we must get him out. How did you get in?" "Crawled in through that hole. Come along; I'll help you out first. You need looking after, judging from your appearance." Steve Rush's face was ghastly white and covered with blood in spots. He had sustained a scalp wound where a sharp-edged rock had hit him. It was evident, however, that the powder-man was in much more serious condition. The man was still breathing when Bob peered into his face. "Yes; he's alive, but I'll help you out now," Jarvis repeated. "You will do nothing of the sort. This man needs attention first. I'll help you with him. How are we going to get him through that small opening without hurting him?" "We'll have to do the best we can," answered Bob. "I'll tell you, Jarvis; you crawl in backwards and I will hand him to you. Tell those on the outside to get hold of your feet and pull when you get far enough in. Do you think he will go through the hole?" "No; we've got to dig away some dirt inside here first. This end is the smaller. The other is large enough for him. It's lucky he isn't a fat man, or we could not do it." Together the lads labored industriously for several minutes. "Are they alive?" called the voice of the superintendent through the hole. "Yes, both of them. Powder-man badly injured, I think." All preparations being made, Bob crawled into the hole, while Steve, as carefully as he could, thrust the powder-man in after, feet first. It was a difficult task that Jarvis had set for himself, but he went at it with stubborn determination. Finally, after moments of wriggling and inch-by-inch progress, the men outside the drift managed to get hold of his feet, as Steve had directed them to do. The rest was easy. It was now Steve's turn, and he crawled through the hole as quickly as possible, though he felt himself growing momentarily weaker. At last he stood outside the drift. He was swaying giddily.