第7部分(第4/7 頁)

aunts　our　domain；　for　whom　I　have　watched　a　hundred　times　without　being　able　to　get　at　him……the　author；　we　may　now　be　certain；　of　that　letter　which　was　intended　to　hinder　you　from　ing　to　see　my　father；　Mr。　Starr；　and　who　finally　threw　that　stone　at　us　in　the　gallery　of　the　Yarrow　shaft！ Ah！　there's　no　doubt　about　it；　there　is　a　man's　hand　in　all　that！〃

Harry　spoke　with　such　energy　that　conviction　came　instantly　and　fully　to　the　engineer's　mind。 As　to　the　old　overman；　he　was　already　convinced。　Besides；　there　they　were　in　the　presence　of　an　undeniable　fact……　the　stopping…up　of　cracks　through　which　gas　had　escaped　freely　the　night　before。

〃Take　your　pick；　Harry；〃　cried　Ford；　〃mount　on　my　shoulders；　my　lad！　I　am　still　strong　enough　to　bear　you！〃 The　young　man　understood　in　an　instant。 His　father　propped　himself　up　against　the　rock。　Harry　got　upon　his　shoulders；　so　that　with　his　pick　he　could　reach　the　line　of　the　fissure。 Then　with　quick　sharp　blows　he　attacked　it。　Almost　directly　afterwards　a　slight　sound　was　heard；　like　champagne　escaping　from　a　bottle……a　sound　monly　expressed　by　the　word　〃puff。〃

Harry　again　seized　his　lamp；　and　held　it　to　the　opening。　There　was　a　slight　report；　and　a　little　red　flame；　rather　blue　at　its　outline；　flickered　over　the　rock　like　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp。

Harry　leaped　to　the　ground；　and　the　old　overman；　unable　to　contain　his　joy；　grasped　the　engineer's　hands；　exclaiming；　〃Hurrah！　hurrah！　hurrah！　Mr。　Starr。 The　fire…damp　burns！　the　vein　is　there！〃

CHAPTER　VII　NEW　ABERFOYLE

THE　old　overman's　experiment　had　succeeded。 Firedamp；　it　is　well　known；　is　only　generated　in　coal　seams；　therefore　the　existence　of　a　vein　of　precious　bustible　could　no　longer　be　doubted。　As　to　its　size　and　quality；　that　must　be　dete