第13部分(第4/7 頁)

idence　will　aid　me　in　the　attempt。 Tomorrow；　you　and　some　of　our　rades　will　go　with　me　to　that　shaft。　I　will　fasten　myself　to　a　long　rope；　by　which　you　can　let　me　down；　and　draw　me　up　at　a　given　signal。 I　may　depend　upon　you；　Jack？〃

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　Jack；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　will　do　as　you　wish　me；　but　I　tell　you　all　the　same；　you　are　very　wrong。〃

〃Nothing　venture　nothing　win；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　decision。　〃To…morrow　morning；　then；　at　six　o'clock。　Be　silent；　and　farewell！〃

It　must　be　admitted　that　Jack　Ryan's　fears　were　far　from　groundless。　Harry　would　expose　himself　to　very　great　danger；　supposing　the　enemy　he　sought　for　lay　concealed　at　the　bottom　of　the　pit　into　which　he　was　going　to　descend。 It　did　not　seem　likely　that　such　was　the　case；　however。

〃Why　in　the　world；〃　repeated　Jack　Ryan；　〃should　he　take　all　this　trouble　to　account　for　a　set　of　facts　so　very

easily　and　simply　explained　by　the　supernatural　intervention　of　the　spirits　of　the　mine？〃

But；　notwithstanding　his　objections　to　the　scheme；　Jack　Ryan　and　three　miners　of　his　gang　arrived　next　morning　with　Harry　at　the　mouth　of　the　opening　of　the　suspicious　shaft。 Harry　had　not　mentioned　his　intentions　either　to　James　Starr　or　to　the　old　overman。　Jack　had　been　discreet　enough　to　say　nothing。

Harry　had　provided　himself　with　a　rope　about　200　feet　long。　It　was　not　particularly　thick；　but　very　strong……sufficiently　so　to　sustain　his　weight。 His　friends　were　to　let　him　down　into　the　gulf；　and　his　pulling　the　cord　was　to　be　the　signal　to　withdraw　him。

The　opening　into　this　shaft　or　well　was　twelve　feet　wide。　A　beam　was　thrown　across　like　a　bridge；　so　that　the　cord　passing　over　it　should　hang　down　the　center　of　the　opening；　and　save　Harry　from　striking