第15部分(第6/7 頁)

CHAPTER　XIII　ON　THE　REVOLVING　LADDER

THE　mining　operations　at　New　Aberfoyle　continued　to　be　carried　on　very　successfully。 As　a　matter　of　course；　the　engineer；　James　Starr；　as　well　as　Simon　Ford；　the　discoverers　of　this　rich　carboniferous　region；　shared　largely　in　the　profits。

In　time　Harry　became　a　partner。 But　he　never　thought

of　quitting　the　cottage。 He　took　his　father's　place　as　overman；　and　diligently　superintended　the　works　of　this　colony　of　miners。　Jack　Ryan　was　proud　and　delighted　at　the　good　fortune　which　had　befallen　his　rade。 He　himself　was　getting　on　very　well　also。

They　frequently　met；　either　at　the　cottage　or　at　the　works　in　the　pit。　Jack　did　not　fail　to　remark　the　sentiments　entertained　by　Harry　towards　Nell。 Harry　would　not　confess　to　them；　but　Jack　only　laughed　at　him　when　he　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　deny　any　special　interest　in　her。

It　must　be　noted　that　Jack　Ryan　had　the　greatest　possible　wish　to　be　of　the　party　when　Nell　should　pay　her　first　visit　to　the　upper　surface　of　the　county　of　Stirling。 He　wished　to　see　her　wonder　and　admiration　on　first　beholding　the　yet　unknown　face　of　Nature。 He　very　much　hoped　that　Harry　would　take　him　with　them　when　the　excursion　was　made。　As　yet；　however；　the　latter　had　made　no　proposal　of　the　kind　to　him；　which　caused　him　to　feel　a　little　uneasy　as　to　his　intentions。

One　morning　Jack　Ryan　was　descending　through　a　shaft　which　led　from　the　surface　to　the　lower　regions　of　the　pit。 He　did　so　by　means　of　one　of　those　ladders　which；　continually　revolving　by　machinery；　enabled　persons　to　ascend　and　descend　without　fatigue。　This　apparatus　had　lowered　him　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet；　when　at　a　narrow　landing…place　he　perceived　Harry；　who　was　ing　up　to　his　labors　for