第5部分(第5/7 頁)

ngineer；　〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　responded　Ford；　〃I　do　not　need　your　ears；　but　your　legs。　Are　you　quite　rested？〃

〃Quite　rested　and　quite　refreshed；　Simon。 I　am　ready　to　go　with　you　wherever　you　like。〃

〃Harry；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　turning　to　his　son；　〃light　our　safety　lamps。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　take　safety　lamps！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr；　in　amazement；　knowing　that　there　was　no　fear　of　explosions　of　fire…damp　in　a　pit　quite　empty　of　coal。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　it　will　be　prudent。〃

〃My　good　Simon；　won't　you　propose　next　to　put　me　in　a　miner's　dress？〃

〃Not　just　yet；　sir；　not　just　yet！〃　returned　the　old　overman；　his　deep…set　eyes　gleaming　strangely。

Harry　soon　reappeared；　carrying　three　safety　lamps。　He　handed　one　of　these　to　the　engineer；　the　other　to　his　father；　and　kept　the　third　hanging　from　his　left　hand；　whilst　his　right　was　armed　with　a　long　stick。

〃Forward！〃　said　Simon　Ford；　taking　up　a　strong　pick；　which　was　leaning　against　the　wall　of　the　cottage。

〃Forward！〃　echoed　the　engineer。 〃Good…by；　Madge。〃

〃GOD　speed　you！〃　responded　the　good　woman。

〃A　good　supper；　wife；　do　you　hear？〃　exclaimed　Ford。 〃We　shall　be　hungry　when　we　e　back；　and　will　do　it　justice！〃

CHAPTER　V　SOME　STRANGE　PHENOMENA

MANY　superstitious　beliefs　exist　both　in　the　Highlands　and　Lowlands　of　Scotland。 Of　course　the　mining　population　must　furnish　its　contingent　of　legends　and　fables　to　this　mythological　repertory。　If　the　fields　are　peopled　with　imaginary　beings；　either　good　or　bad；　with　much　more　reason　must　the　dark　mines　be　haunted　to　their　lowest　depths。 Who　shakes　the　seam　during　tempestuous　nights？　who　puts　the　miners　on　the　track　of　an　as　yet　unworked　vein？　who　lights　the　fire…damp；　and　preside