第8部分(第5/7 頁)

bly　wide　gallery。 One　might　well　believe　that　it　had　been　pierced　by　the　hand　of　man；　that　the　pick　and　mattock　had　emptied　it　in　the　working　of　a　new　vein。　The　explorers　question　whether；　by　a　strange　chance；　they　had　not　been　transported　into　some　ancient　mine；　of　the　existence　of　which　even　the　oldest　miners　in　the　county　had　ever　known。

No！ It　was　merely　that　the　geological　layers　had　left　this　passage　when　the　secondary　earths　were　in　course　of　formation。　Perhaps　some　torrent　had　formerly　dashed　through　it；　but　now　it　was　as　dry　as　if　it　had　been　cut　some　thousand　feet　lower；　through　granite　rocks。 At　the　same　time；　the　air　circulated　freely；　which　showed　that　certain　natural　vents　placed　it　in　munication　with　the　exterior　atmosphere。

This　observation；　made　by　the　engineer；　was　correct；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　ventilation　of　the　new　mine　would　be　easily　managed。　As　to　the　fire…damp　which　had　lately　filtered　through　the　schist；　it　seemed　to　have　been　contained　in　a　pocket　now　empty；　and　it　was　certain　that　the　atmosphere　of　the　gallery it。　However；　Harry　prudently　carried　only　the　safety　lamp；　which　would　insure　light　for　twelve　hours。

James　Starr　and　his　panions　now　felt　perfectly　happy。　All　their　wishes　were　satisfied。 There　was　nothing　but　coal　around　them。　A　sort　of　emotion　kept　them　silent；　even　Simon　Ford　restrained　himself。　His　joy　overflowed；　not　in　long　phrases；　but　in　short　ejaculations。

It　was　perhaps　imprudent　to　venture　so　far　into　the　crypt。　Pooh！　they　never　thought　of　how　they　were　to　get　back。

The　gallery　was　practicable；　not　very　winding。 They　met　with　no　noxious　exhalations；　nor　did　any　chasm　bar　the　path。　There　was　no　reason　for　stopping　for　a　whole　hour；　James　Starr；　Madge；　Harry；　and　Simon　Ford　walked