hich　was　only　relieved　by　the　glimmer　of　the　lamp。　The　young　man　held　it　above　his　head；　the　better　to　light　his　panion。 A　dozen　ladders　were　descended　by　the　engineer　and　his　guide；　with　the　measured　step　habitual　to　the　miner。　They　were　all　still　in　good　condition。

James　Starr　examined；　as　well　as　the　insufficient　light　would　permit；　the　sides　of　the　dark　shaft；　which　were　covered　by　a　partly　rotten　lining　of　wood。

Arrived　at　the　fifteenth　landing；　that　is　to　say；　half　way　down；　they　halted　for　a　few　minutes。

〃Decidedly；　I　have　not　your　legs；　my　lad；〃　said　the　engineer；　panting。

〃You　are　very　stout；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry；　〃and　it's　something　too；　you　see；　to　live　all　one's　life　in　the　mine。〃

〃Right；　Harry。 Formerly；　when　I　was　twenty；　I　could　have　gone　down　all　at　a　breath。 e；　forward！〃

But　just　as　the　two　were　about　to　leave　the　platform；　a　voice；　as　yet　far　distant；　was　heard　in　the　depths　of　the　shaft。　It　came　up　like　a　sonorous　billow；　swelling　as　it　advanced；　and　being　more　and　more　distinct。

〃Halloo！　who　es　here？〃　asked　the　engineer；　stopping　Harry。

〃I　cannot　say；〃　answered　the　young　miner。

〃Is　it　not　your　father？〃

〃My　father；　Mr。　Starr？　no。〃

〃Some　neighbor；　then？〃

〃We　have　no　neighbors　in　the　bottom　of　the　pit；〃　replied　Harry。 〃We　are　alone；　quite　alone。〃

〃Well；　we　must　let　this　intruder　pass；〃　said　James　Starr。 〃Those　who　are　descending　must　yield　the　path　to　those　who　are　ascending。〃

They　waited。 The　voice　broke　out　again　with　a　magnificent　burst；　as　if　it　had　been　carried　through　a　vast　speaking　trumpet；　and　soon　a　few　words　of　a　Scotch　song　came　clearly　to　the　ears　of　the　young　miner。

〃The　Hundred　Pipers！〃　cried　Harry。 〃Well；　I　shall　be　much　s