第19部分(第2/7 頁)

ach　electric　bells　warned　the　workmen　to　cower　down　in　the　refuge　places。　Lifts　went　incessantly　up　and　down；　worked　by　powerful　engines　on　the　surface　of　the　soil。 Coal　Town　was　throughout　brilliantly　lighted　by　the　electric　lamps　at　full　power。

Mining　operations　were　being　carried　on　with　the　greatest　activity；　coal　was　being　piled　incessantly　into　the　trucks；　which　went　in　hundreds　to　empty　themselves　into　the　corves　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft。　While　parties　of　miners　who

had　labored　during　the　night　were　taking　needful　rest；　the　others　worked　without　wasting　an　hour。

Old　Simon　Ford　and　Madge；　having　finished　their　dinner；　were　resting　at　the　door　of　their　cottage。 Simon　smoked　a　good　pipe　of　tobacco；　and　from　time　to　time　the　old　couple　spoke　of　Nell；　of　their　boy；　of　Mr。　Starr；　and　wondered　how　they　liked　their　trip　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。 Where　would　they　be　now？ What　would　they　be　doing？　How　could　they　stay　so　long　away　from　the　mine　without　feeling　homesick？

Just　then　a　terrific　roaring　noise　was　heard。 It　was　like　the　sound　of　a　mighty　cataract　rushing　down　into　the　mine。 The　old　people　rose　hastily。　They　perceived　at　once　that　the　waters　of　Loch　Malcolm　were　rising。

A　great　wave；　unfurling　like　a　billow；　swept　up　the　bank　and　broke　against　the　walls　of　the　cottage。 Simon　caught　his　wife　in　his　arms；　and　carried　her　to　the　upper　part　of　their　dwelling。

At　the　same　moment；　cries　arose　from　all　parts　of　Coal　Town；　which　was　threatened　by　a　sudden　inundation。 The　inhabitants　fled　for　safety　to　the　top　of　the　schist　rocks　bordering　the　lake；　terror　spread　in　all　directions；　whole　families　in　frantic　haste　rushed　towards　the　tunnel　in　order　to　reach　the　upper　regions　of　the　pit。

It　was　feared　that　the　sea