第9部分(第2/7 頁)

hat　is　that　we　don't　know　where　we　are。〃

〃We　are　in　the　subsoil　of　the　county　of　Stirling；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Simon　Ford；　〃and　that　I　assert　as　if……〃

〃Listen！〃　said　Harry；　interrupting　the　old　man。　All　listened；　as　the　young　miner　was　doing。 His　ears；　which　were　very　sharp；　had　caught　a　dull　sound；　like　a　distant　murmur。　His　panions　were　not　long　in　hearing　it　themselves。　It　was　above　their　heads；　a　sort　of　rolling　sound；　in　which　though　it　was　so　feeble；　the　successive　CRESCENDO　and　DIMINUENDO　could　be　distinctly　heard。

All　four　stood　for　some　minutes；　their　ears　on　the　stretch；　without　uttering　a　word。 All　at　once　Simon　Ford　exclaimed；　〃Well；　I　declare！ Are　trucks　already　running　on　the　rails　of　New　Aberfoyle？〃

〃Father；〃　replied　Harry；　〃it　sounds　to　me　just　like　the　noise　made　by　waves　rolling　on　the　sea　shore。〃

〃We　can't　be　under　the　sea　though！〃　cried　the　old　overman。

〃No；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃but　it　is　not　impossible　that　we　should　be　under　Loch　Katrine。〃

〃The　roof　cannot　have　much　thickness　just　here；　if　the　noise　of　the　water　is　perceptible。〃

〃Very　little　indeed；〃　answered　James　Starr；　〃and　that　is　the　reason　this　cavern　is　so　huge。〃

〃You　must　be　right；　Mr。　Starr；〃　said　Harry。

〃Besides；　the　weather　is　so　bad　outside；〃　resumed　Starr；　〃that　the　waters　of　the　loch　must　be　as　rough　as　those　of　the　Firth　of　Forth。〃

〃Well！　what　does　it　matter　after　all？〃　returned　Simon　Ford；　〃the　seam　won't　be　any　the　worse　because　it　is　under　a　loch。　It　would　not　be　the　first　time　that　coal　has　been　looked　for　under　the　very　bed　of　the　ocean！ When　we　have　to　work　under　the　bottom　of　the　Caledonian　Canal；　where　will　be　the　harm？〃

〃Well　said；　Simon；〃　cried　the　engineer；　who　could　not　restrain　a　smil