This is the story. The rest England knows; she knows how all the
rescued men recovered, she also knows how she has honoured rescued and
rescuers.
The last to get well, the slowest to get back again his health and
strength, was David. For a time, indeed, for David there were grave
doubts and anxieties, which on the doctors' parts amounted to fears.
The previous shock and sorrow may have made the ten days without food,
in that gloomy prison, tell more severely on him, for originally he was
the strongest man of the five. However, after a fortnight of intense
watching, the dreaded fever began to abate, and the burden of life which
he had so nearly laid aside, he took up again, with his old cheerfulness
and courage.
"I'm glad he's not going to die," said Nan, "he's wanting down on earth
still. Oh! ain't he strong," she added; "oh! if you only heard Miles
talk of him!"
One day I did hear a little of what David had done, from the boy
himself.
"Yes, Miss, he was standin' by me, when the water came in, we felt it
running past our feet, he took my hand and said we'd run for the shaft;
we run a few steps when we met Jones and two men, Powell and Williams;
they said the waters were up to the roof, then we got into Powell's
stall."
"Had you any light?"
"Yes, for a while we had candles, then we was in the dark, the water was
a few feet away; when we was thirsty we drank the water, but it was very
bad. No, we was _not_ very hungry, but we was most bitter cold."
"You did not think you were so long in the stall?"
"No, not more'n a week."
"And you were not frightened?"
Here the dark eyes, preternaturally large and eager-looking, gazed hard
into mine.
"No, I worn't feared to die. I thought I might die, we h'all thought
it. I did want to kiss Nan, and father once, but Mr Morgan--"
"Well, what about Mr Morgan?"
"He spoke so, he said that the Better Land were worth going through
anything to reach; he said that may be there were no other road for any
of us to heaven, but right through the mine, and he axed us if we was
willin' to go through that road to reach it. After a bit we all said we
was."
"Well?"
"Then he'd pray to the Lord so earnest, it seemed as if the Lord was
nigh to us, and Mr Morgan said He was with us in the stall; then we'd
sing."
"What did you sing, Miles?"
"Only one hymn, over and over. We sings it at h'our meetings."
"I know it," said Nan, "I'll sing it now.
"In the deep and mighty waters.
No one there can hold my head;
But my only Saviour Jesus,
Who was slaughtered in my stead.
"Friend, he is in Jordan's river.
Holds above the wave my head;
With His smile I'll go rejoicing,
Through the regions of the dead."
"Ah!" said Miles, "you never'd know wot that hymn's worth unless you was
in the mine. Then we heard the men knocking, and that kep up our
hearts, and Mr Morgan said we might be rescued; but any way 'twas all
right. Towards the end two of the men got queer and off their heads,
and Mr Morgan, and Jones, the under-viewer, had a deal of trouble with
'em; then Mr Morgan thought the water might have gone down, and on
Friday he went in and tried for a bit to wade through, but it was too
deep, and he did not know the mine. Jones would have tried after him,
but then we was let h'out. No, I doesn't remember that part. I knows
nothing until I felt Nan kiss me, and I thought 'twas Stephie, and that
I was in heaven."
All the time during David's slow recovery, one person nursed him day and
night--one person, with hardly any intermission, remained by his
bedside; this was Owen. And no hand so soothed the sick and weary man,
no face brought so peaceful a smile into his eyes, as the hand and face
of Owen. As David grew better they had long talks together, but I never
heard what they said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------