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The atmospheric air was by this means excluded, the fire was extinguished, the people were saved from death, and the mine was preserved. This anecdote of Stephenson was related to the writer, near the pit-mouth, by one of the men who had been present and helped to build up the brick wall by which the fire was stayed, though several workmen were suffocated.
For three days and a half the women and children have been standing at the pit-mouth; I have seen them sitting with their heads sunk upon their knees, or shaking their fists, screaming curses at the criminal who is to blame." There was a pause. "The criminal?" inquired young Harrigan. "I don't understand!" "You'll hardly be able to believe it; but nothing has been done to rescue these men.
My only way of going down, therefore, was by the pit-mouth, and as this was an important place, after some hesitation I decided, very rashly.
Little Jerry clamoured to go with him, and after some controversy Hal wrapped him in a shawl and slung him onto his shoulder. It was barely daylight, but already the whole population of the village was on hand at the pit-mouth. The helmet-men had gone down to make tests, so the hour of final revelation was at hand.
The coal having been brought to the pit-mouth, it remains to be shown what becomes of this most valuable mineral, the consumption of which is now so large in all parts of the globe. The next person employed in the trade is the sailor, to convey it to the market, and the collier vessels are a valuable navy to the country, proving quite a nursery of seamen for our royal marine service.
His reason protested against it; he told himself there was nothing they could do, no reason on earth for them to stay and yet he hated them. They were hurrying off to dance and flirt at the country club while he was going back to the pit-mouth, to try to get Mrs. Zamboni the right to inspect the pieces of her "man"! The pit of death was giving up its secrets.
One instant only, while tortured eyes smiled bravely into his; then a great pit-mouth that gaped a horrible welcome up ahead. So plainly Chet saw it! He could not tear his eyes away. He saw the red, smoking breath of it; he saw a rocky lip that shone like one great ruby. It was impossible! Even the blast of air that tore at him meant nothing at first! But it was happening!
He was pushing the women back, exclaiming, "Go away! Go home!" What? Go home? they cried. When their men were in the mine? They crowded about him closer, imploring, shrieking. "Get out!" he kept exclaiming. "There's nothing you can do! There's nothing anybody can do yet! Go home! Go home!" He had to beat them back by force, to keep them from pushing one another into the pit-mouth.
Below, to left and right, was pit-mouth gloom, shadows amid shadows, full of eerie whisperings, and King felt the short hair on his neck begin to rise. So he urged his horse forward, because what Rewa Gunga said is true. There is only one surer key to trouble in the Khyber than to seem afraid and that is to be afraid.
Such as was used had to be brought by the slow barges on the canals, or else was fetched by the farmers' waggons direct from the pit-mouth. The teams were not unfrequently absent two days and a night on the journey. In the outlying districts this difficulty in obtaining coal practically restricted the available fuel to wood. Now the wood-house is used as much for coal as wood.
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