"What is to be done now?" Mr. Brook asked after a pause.
There was silence for a while--the case seemed desperate.
"Mr. Brook," Jack said after a time, "it is agreed, is it not, that all
here will obey my orders?"
"Yes, certainly, Jack," Mr. Brook answered.
"Whatever they are?"
"Yes, whatever they are."
"Very well," Jack said, "you will all take your coats off and soak them
in water, then all set to work to beat the gas out of this heading as
far as possible. When that is done as far as can be done, all go into
the next stall, and lie down at the upper end; you will be out of the
way of the explosion there. Cover your heads with your wet coats, and,
Bill, wrap something wet round those cans of powder."
"What then, Jack?"
"That's all," Jack said; "I will fire the train. If the gas explodes at
the match it will light the fuse, so that the wall will blow in anyhow."
"No, no," a chorus of voices said; "you will be killed."
"I will light it, Jack," Bill Haden said; "I am getting on now, it's no
great odds about me."
"No, dad," Jack said; "I am in charge, and it is for me to do it. You
have all promised to obey orders, so set about it at once. Bill, take
Mr. Brook up first into the other stall; he won't be able to find his
way about in the dark."
Without a word Bill did as he was told, Mr. Brook giving one hearty
squeeze to the lad's hand as he was led away. The others, accustomed to
the darkness from boyhood, proceeded at once to carry out Jack's
instructions, wetting their flannel jackets and then beating the roof
with them towards the entrance to the stall; for five minutes they
continued this, and then Jack said:
"Now, lads, off to the stall as quick as you can; cover your heads well
over; lie down. I will be with you in a minute, or--" or, as Jack knew
well, he would be dashed to pieces by the explosion of the gas.
He listened until the sound of the last footstep died away--waited a
couple of minutes, to allow them to get safely in position at the other
end of the next stall--and then, holding the end of the fuse in one hand
and the match in the other, he murmured a prayer, and, stooping to the
ground, struck the match.
No explosion followed; he applied it to the fuse, and ran for his life
down the narrow heading, down the stall, along the horse road, and up
the next stall. "It's alight," he said as he rushed in.
A cheer burst from the men. "Cover your heads close," Jack said as he
threw himself down; "the explosion is sure to fire the gas."
For a minute a silence as of death reigned in the mine; then there was a
sharp cracking explosion, followed by another like thunder, and, while a
flash of fire seemed to surround them, filling the air, firing their
clothes, and scorching their limbs, the whole mine shook with a deep
roaring.
The men knew that the danger was at an end, threw off the covering from
their heads, and struck out the fire from their garments. Some were
badly burned about the legs, but any word or cry they may have uttered
was drowned in the tremendous roar which continued.
It was the water from the Logan pit rushing into the Vaughan. For five
minutes the noise was like thunder; then, as the pressure from behind
decreased, the sound gradually grew less, until, in another five
minutes, all was quiet.