They would go out that day with the intention of
working like slaves to produce an extra turn of coal. Even though it
were but one extra hutch, they would fill it, and slave all day with
never a rest, so that they could have the satisfaction of seeing
approval in his eyes, when they told him at night how many they had
turned out, and how well things had gone generally with them in his
absence.
He reached the pit, to find that the moss was already rising in the
shaft, and that there was no possibility of getting down to try and save
these twenty-three men and boys who were imprisoned in the darkness
beneath.
He came across Tam Donaldson, who was the last to get up.
"Tell me aboot it, Tam," he said. "Is there no chance of getting down?
Do you think any of them will be safe so far?" and a whole lot of other
anxious questions were rattled off, while Tam, dripping wet from having
to wade and fight the last fifty fathoms toward the pit bottom, through
the silent, sinister, creeping moss that filled the roadways and
tunnels, stood to give him an account of what had taken place.
"They were a' sitting at their piece, Rob--a' but James and Andra.
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