Pagina 138 van 439

Their host had spared no expense to make the occasion a gala one.

Electric lights were twinkling at intervals down the tunnel, and

an electric ore-car with a man in charge was waiting to run them

into the workings nearly a mile distant. Dunke dealt out candles

and assisted his guests into the car, which presently carried

them deep into the mine. Margaret observed that the timbered

sides of the tunnel leaned inward slightly and that the roof was

heavily cross-timbered.

"It looks safe," she thought aloud.

"It's safe enough," returned Dunke carelessly. "The place for

cave-ins is at the head of the workings, before we get drifts

timbered."

"Are we going into any of those places?"

"I wouldn't take you into any place that wasn't safe, Miss

Margaret."

"Is it always so dreadfully warm down here?" she asked.

"You must remember we're somewhere around a thousand feet in the

heart of the earth. Yes, it's always warm."

"I don't see how the men stand it and work."

"Oh, they get used to it."