Starr　having　chosen　the　place　where　the　holes　were　to　be　drilled；　they　were　rapidly　bored　by　Harry。 Some　cartridges　of　dynamite　were　put　into　them。 As　soon　as　the　long；　tarred　safety　match　was　laid；　it　was　lighted　on　a　level　with　the　ground。　James　Starr　and　his　panions　then　went　off　to　some　distance。

〃Oh！ Mr。　Starr；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　a　prey　to　agitation；　which　he　did　not　attempt　to　conceal；　〃never；　no；　never　has　my　old　heart　beaten　so　quick　before！ I　am　longing　to　get　at　the　vein！〃

〃Patience；　Simon！〃　responded　the　engineer。 〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　think　you　are　going　to　find　a　passage　all　ready　open　behind　that　dyke？〃

〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　answered　the　old　overman；　〃but　of　course　I　think　so！　If　there　was　good　luck　in　the　way　Harry　and　I　discovered　this　place；　why　shouldn't　the　good　luck　go　on？〃

As　he　spoke；　came　the　explosion。 A　sound　as　of　thunder　rolled　through　the　labyrinth　of　subterranean　galleries。　Starr；　Madge；　Harry；　and　Simon　Ford　hastened　towards　the　spot。

〃Mr。　Starr！ Mr。　Starr！〃　shouted　the　overman。 〃Look！　the　door　is　broken　open！〃

Ford's　parison　was　justified　by　the　appearance　of　an　excavation；　the　depth　of　which　could　not　be　calculated。　Harry　was　about　to　spring　through　the　opening；　but　the　engineer；　though　excessively　surprised　to　find　this　cavity；　held　him　back。　〃Allow　time　for　the　air　in　there　to　get　pure；〃　said　he。

〃Yes！　beware　of　the　foul　air！〃　said　Simon。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　was　passed　in　anxious　waiting。　The　lantern　was　then　fastened　to　the　end　of　a　stick；　and　introduced　into　the　cave；　where　it　continued　to　burn　with　unaltered　brilliancy。　〃Now　then；　Harry；　go；〃　said　Starr；　〃and　we　will　follow　you。〃

The　opening　made　by　the　dynamite　was　sufficiently　large　to　allow　a　man　to　p