快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


〃And　had　this　letter　the　Aberfoyle　postmark？〃　inquired　Simon　Ford。

〃Yes；　like　yours；〃　replied　James　Starr。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　Harry？〃　said　his　father；　his　brow　darkening。

〃I　think；　father；〃　returned　Harry；　〃that　someone　has　had　some　interest　in　trying　to　prevent　Mr。　Starr　from　ing　to　the　place　where　you　invited　him。〃

〃But　who；〃　exclaimed　the　old　miner；　〃who　could　have　possibly　guessed　enough　of　my　secret？〃　　And　Simon　fell　into　a　reverie；　from　which　he　was　aroused　by　his　wife。

〃Let　us　begin；　Mr。　Starr；〃　she　said。　　〃The　soup　is　already　getting　cold。　Don't　think　any　more　of　that　letter　just　now。〃

On　the　old　woman's　invitation；　each　drew　in　his　chair；　James　Starr　opposite　to　Madge……to　do　him　honor……the　father　and　son　opposite　to　each　other。　　It　was　a　good　Scotch　dinner。　First　they　ate　〃hotchpotch；〃　soup　with　the　meat　swimming　in　capital　broth。　　As　old　Simon　said；　his　wife　knew　no　rival　in　the　art　of　preparing　hotchpotch。　　It　was　the　same　with　the　〃cockyleeky；〃　a　cock　stewed　with　leeks；　which　merited　high　praise。　The　whole　was　washed　down　with　excellent　ale；　obtained　from　the　best　brewery　in　Edinburgh。

But　the　principal　dish　consisted　of　a　〃haggis；〃　the　national　pudding；　made　of　meat　and　barley　meal。　　This　remarkable　dish；　which　inspired　the　poet　Burns　with　one　of　his　best　odes；　shared　the　fate　of　all　the　good　things　in　this　world……it　passed　away　like　a　dream。

Madge　received　the　sincere　pliments　of　her　guest。　The　dinner　ended　with　cheese　and　oatcake；　acpanied　by　a　few　small　glasses　of　〃usquebaugh；〃　capital　whisky；　five　and　twenty　years　old……just　Harry's　age。　　The　repast　lasted　a　good　hour。　James　Starr　and　Simon　Ford　had　not　only　eaten　much；　but　talked　much　too；　chiefly　of　their　past　life　in　the　old　Aberfoyle　mine。

Harry　had　been　rather　silent。　　Twice　he　had　left　the　table；　and　even　the　house。　　He　evidently　felt　uneasy　since　the　incident　of　the　stone；　and　wished　to　examine　the　environs

of　the　cottage。　　The　anonymous　letter　had　not　contributed　to　reassure　him。

Whilst　he　was　absent；　the　engineer　observed　to　Ford　and　his　wife；　〃That's　a　fine　lad　you　have　there；　my　friends。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　he　is　a　good　and　affectionate　son；〃　replied　the　old　overman　earnestly。

〃Is　he　happy　with　you　in　the　cottage？〃

〃He　would　not　wish　to　leave　us。〃

〃Don't　you　think　of　finding　him　a　wife；　some　day？〃

〃A　wife　for　Harry；〃　exclaimed　Ford。　　〃And　who　would　it　be？　A　girl　from　up　yonder；　who　would　love　merry…makings　and　dancing；　who　would　prefer　her　clan　to　our　mine！　　Harry　wouldn't　do　it！〃

〃Simon；〃　said　Madge；　〃you　would　not　forbid　that　Harry　should　take　a　wife。〃

〃I　would　forbid　nothing；〃　returned　the　old　miner；　〃but　there's　no　hurry　about　that。　　Who　knows　but　we　may　find　one　for　him……〃

Harry　re…entered　at　that　moment；　and　Simon　Ford　was　silent。

When　Madge　rose　from　the　table；　all　followed　her　example；　and　seated　themselves　at　the　door　of　the　cottage。　　〃Well；　Simon；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　responded　Ford；　〃I　do　not　need　your　ears；　but　your　legs。　Are　you　quite　rested？〃

〃Quite　rested　and　quite　refreshed；　Simon。　　I　am　ready　to　go　with　you　wherever　you　like。〃

〃Harry；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　turning　to　his　son；　〃light　our　safety　lamps。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　take　safety　lamps！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr；　in　amazement；　knowing　that　there　was　no　fear　of　explosions　of　fire…damp　in　a　pit　quite　empty　of　coal。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　it　will　be　prudent。〃

〃My　good　Simon；　won't　you　propose　next　to　put　me　in　a　miner's　dress？〃

〃Not　just　yet；　sir；　not　just　yet！〃　returned　the　old　overman；　his　deep…set　eyes　gleaming　strangely。

Harry　soon　reappeared；　carrying　three　safety　lamps。　He　handed　one　of　these　to　the　engineer；　the　other　to　his　father；　and　kept　the　third　hanging　from　his　left　hand；　whilst　his　right　was　armed　with　a　long　stick。


〃Forward！〃　said　Simon　Ford；　taking　up　a　strong　pick；　which　was　leaning　against　the　wall　of　the　cottage。

〃Forward！〃　echoed　the　engineer。　　〃Good…by；　Madge。〃

〃GOD　speed　you！〃　responded　the　good　woman。

〃A　good　supper；　wife；　do　you　hear？〃　exclaimed　Ford。　　〃We　shall　be　hungry　when　we　e　back；　and　will　do　it　justice！〃


CHAPTER　V　SOME　STRANGE　PHENOMENA


MANY　superstitious　beliefs　exist　both　in　the　Highlands　and　Lowlands　of　Scotland。　　Of　course　the　mining　population　must　furnish　its　contingent　of　legends　and　fables　to　this　mythological　repertory。　If　the　fields　are　peopled　with　imaginary　beings；　either　good　or　bad；　with　much　more　reason　must　the　dark　mines　be　haunted　to　their　lowest　depths。　　Who　shakes　the　seam　during　tempestuous　nights？　who　puts　the　miners　on　the　track　of　an　as　yet　unworked　vein？　who　lights　the　fire…damp；　and　presides　over　the　terrible　explosions？　who　but　some　spirit　of　the　mine？　　This；　at　least；　was　the　opinion　monly　spread　among　the　superstitious　Scotch。

In　the　first　rank　of　the　believers　in　the　supernatural　in　the　Dochart　pit　figured　Jack　Ryan；　Harry's　friend。　He　was　the　great　partisan　of　all　these　superstitions。　All　these　wild　stories　were　turned　by　him　into　songs；　which　earned　him　great　applause　in　the　winter　evenings。

But　Jack　Ryan　was　not　alone　in　his　belief。　　His　rades　affirmed；　no　less　strongly；　that　the　Aberfoyle　pits　were　haunted；　and　that　certain　strange　beings　were　seen　there　frequently；　just　as　in　the　Highlands。　　To　hear　them　talk；　it　would　have　been　more　extraordinary　if　nothing　of　the　kind　appeared。　Could　there　indeed　be　a　better　place　than　a　dark　and　deep　coal　mine　for　the　freaks　of　fairies；　elves；　goblins；　and　other　actors　in　the　fantastical　dramas？　　The　scenery　was　all　ready；　why　should　not　the　supernatural　personages　e　there　to　play　their　parts？

So　reasoned　Jack　Ryan　and　his　rades　in　the　Aberfoyle　mines。　We　have　said　that　the　different　pits　municated　with　each　other　by　means　of　long　subterranean　galleries。　Thus　there　existed　beneath　the　county　of　Stirling　a　vast　tract；　full　of　burrows；　tunnels；　bored　with　caves；　and　perforated　with　shafts；　a　subterranean　labyrinth；　which　might　be　pared　to　an　enormous　ant…hill。

Miners；　though　belonging　to　different　pits；　often　met；　when　going　to　or　returning　from　their　work。　　Consequently　there　was　a　constant　opportunity　of　exchanging　talk；　and　circulating　the　stories　which　had　their　origin　in　the　mine；　from　one　pit　to　another。　These　accounts　were　transmitted　with　marvelous　rapidity；　passing　from　mouth　to　mouth；　and　gaining　in　wonder　as　they　went。

Two　men；　however；　better　educated　and　with　more　practical　minds　than　the　rest；　had　always　resisted　this　temptation。　They　in　no　degree　believed　in　the　intervention　of　spirits；　elves；　or　goblins。　　These　two　were　Simon　Ford　and　his　son。　And　they　proved　it　by　continuing　to　inhabit　the　dismal　crypt；　after　the　desertion　of　the　Dochart　pit。　　Perhaps　good　Madge；　like　every　Highland　woman；　had　some　leaning　towards　the　supernatural。　But　she　had　to　repeat　all　these　stories　to　herself；　and　so　she　did；　most　conscientiously；　so　as　not　to　let　the　old　traditions　be　lost。

Even　had　Simon　and　Harry　Ford　been　as　credulous　as　their　panions；　they　would　not　have　abandoned　the　mine　to　the　imps　and　fairies。　For　ten　years；　without　missing　a　single　day；　obstinate　and　immovable　in　their　convictions；　the　father　and　son　took　their　picks；　their　sticks；　and　their　lamps。　　They　went　about　searching；　sounding　the　rock　with　a　sharp　blow；　listening　if　it　would　return　a　favor…able　sound。　So　long　as　the　soundings　had　not　been　pushed　to　the　granite　of　the　primary　formation；　the　Fords　were　agreed　that　the　search；　unsuccessful　to…day；　might　succeed　to…morrow；　and　that　it　ought　to　be　resumed。　They　spent　their　whole　life　in　endeavoring　to　bring　Aberfoyle　back　to　its　former　prosperity。　　If　the　father　died　before　the　hour　of　success；　the　son　was　to　go　on　with　the　task　alone。

It　was　during　these　excursions　that　Harry　was　more　particularly　struck　by　certain　phenomena；　which　he　vainly　sought　to　explain。　Several　times；　while　walking　along　some　narrow　cross…alley；　he　seemed　to　hear　sounds　similar　to　those　which　would　be　produced　by　violent　blows　of　a　pickax　against　the　wall。

Harry　hastened　to　seek　the　cause　of　this　mysterious　work。　The　tunnel　was　empty。　　The　light　from　the　young　miner's

lamp；　thrown　on　the　wall；　revealed　no　trace　of　any　recent　work　with　pick　or　crowbar。　　Harry　would　then　ask　himself　if　it　was　not　the　effect　of　some　acoustic　illusion；　or　some　strange　and　fantastic　echo。　At　other　times；　on　suddenly　throwing　a　bright　light　into　a　suspicious…looking　cleft　in　the　rock；　he　thought　he　saw　a　shadow。　He　rushed　forward。　　Nothing；　and　there　was　no　opening　to　permit　a　human　being　to　evade　his　pursuit！

Twice　in　one　month；　Harry；　whilst　visiting　the　west　end　of　the　pit；　distinctly　heard　distant　reports；　as　if　some　miner　had　exploded　a　charge　of　dynamite。　　The　second　time；　after　many　careful　researches；　he　found　that　a　pillar　had　just　been　blown　up。

By　the　light　of　his　lamp；　Harry　carefully　examined　the　place　attacked　by　the　explosion。　　It　had　not　been　made　in　a　simple　embankment　of　stones；　but　in　a　mass　of　schist；　which　had　perated　to　this　depth　in　the　coal　stratum。　Had　the　object　of　the　explosion　been　to　discover　a　new　vein？　Or　had　someone　wished　simply　to　destroy　this　portion　of　the　mine？　Thus　he　questioned；　and　when　he　made　known　this　occurrence　to　his　father；　neither　could　the　old　overman　nor　he　himself　answer　the　question　in　a　satisfactory　way。

〃It　is　very　queer；〃　Harry　often　repeated。　　〃The　presence　of　an　unknown　being　in　the　mine　seems　impossible；　and　yet　there　can　be　no　doubt　about　it。　　Does　someone　besides　ourselves　wish　to　find　out　if　a　seam　yet　exists？　　Or；　rather；　has　he　attempted　to　destroy　what　remains　of　the　Aberfoyle　mines？　　But　for　what　reason？　I　will　find　that　out；　if　it　should　cost　me　my　life！〃

A　fortnight　before　the　day　on　which　Harry　Ford　guided　the　engineer　through　the　labyrinth　of　the　Dochart　pit；　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　attaining　the　object　of　his　search。　He　was　going　over　the　southwest　end　of　the　mine；　with　a　large　lantern　in　his　hand。　　All　at　once；　it　seemed　to　him　that　a　light　was　suddenly　extinguished；　some　hundred　feet　before　him；　at　the　end　of　a　narrow　passage　cut　obliquely　through　the　rock。　He　darted　forward。

His　search　was　in　vain。　　As　Harry　would　not　admit　a　supernatural　explanation　for　a　physical　occurrence；　he　concluded　that　certainly　some　strange　being　prowled　about　in　the　pit。　But　whatever　he　could　do；　searching　with　the　greatest　care；　scrutinizing　every　crevice　in　the　gallery；　he　found　nothing　for　his　trouble。

If　Jack　Ryan　and　the　other　superstitious　fellows　in　the　mine　had　seen　these　lights；　they　would；　without　fail；　have　called　them　supernatural；　but　Harry　did　not　dream　of　doing　so；　nor　did　his　father。　And　when　they　talked　over　these　phenomena；　evidently　due　to　a　physical　cause；　〃My　lad；〃　the　old　man　would　say；　〃we　must　wait。　It　will　all　be　explained　some　day。〃

However；　it　must　be　observed　that；　hitherto；　neither　Harry　nor　his　father　had　ever　been　exposed　to　any　act　of　violence。　If　the　stone　which　had　fallen　at　the　feet　of　James　Starr　had　been　thrown　by　the　hand　of　some　ill…disposed　person；　it　was　the　first　criminal　act　of　that　description。

James　Starr　was　of　opinion　that　the　stone　had　bee　detached　from　the　roof　of　the　gallery；　but　Harry　would　not　admit　of　such　a　simple　explanation。　　According　to　him；　the　stone　had　not　fallen；　it　had　been　thrown；　for　otherwise；　without　rebounding；　it　could　never　have　described　a　trajectory　as　it　did。

Harry　saw　in　it　a　direct　attempt　against　himself　and　his　father；　or　even　against　the　engineer。


CHAPTER　VI　SIMON　FORD'S　EXPERIMENT


THE　old　clock　in　the　cottage　struck　one　as　James　Starr　and　his　two　panions　went　out。　　A　dim　light　perated　through　the　ventilating　shaft　into　the　glade。　　Harry's　lamp　was　not　necessary　here；　but　it　would　very　soon　be　of　use；　for　the　old　overman　was　about　to　conduct　the　engineer　to　the　very　end　of　the　Dochart　pit。

After　following　the　principal　gallery　for　a　distance　of　two　miles；　the　three　explorers……for；　as　will　be　seen；　this　was　a　regular　exploration……　arrived　at　the　entrance　of　a　narrow　tunnel。　　It　was　like　a　nave；　the　roof　of　which　rested　on　woodwork；　covered　with　white　moss。　It　followed　very　nearly　the　line　traced　by　the　course　of　the　river　Forth；　fifteen　hundred　feet　above。

〃So　we　are　going　to　the　end　of　the　last　vein