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Sappers and Miners; The Flood beneath the Sea, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 52. The General Wind-Up |
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_ CHAPTER FIFTY TWO. THE GENERAL WIND-UP The days wore on, and the Colonel and Major shook their heads at Sam Hardock when he made his accusation as to the cause of the catastrophe; while the captain went about afterward in an aggrieved way, for he could get no one to believe in his ideas. The Colonel and his partner took the advice of an expert, and in a short time it was announced that no effort would be made to pump the mine dry, a few hours' trial by way of test proving that the water could not be lowered an inch. The work-people were all liberally paid off, and began to disperse, finding work at different mines; and after several consultations, the Colonel and his old brother officer being quite of the same mind, an interview was held with a well-known auctioneer, and the whole of the machinery was announced for sale. Just about this period, without saying anything at home, Gwyn and Joe, who had passed a good deal of time beneath the cliffs at low-water, to try and find out anything suggestive of an attempt being made to destroy the mine by an explosive--finding nothing, however, but a few places where the rocks had been chipped down by the point--determined to examine the spot from which they had escaped by the help of Vores. The latter being consulted, expressed his willingness to go, and Sam Hardock was asked to accompany them, but he shook his head. "No," he said, "my legs are all right again; but there aren't nothing to be got by it, and I should advise you all not to go." But another actor in the late adventures expressed his willingness to be of the party, and tore off at full speed one morning when, well provided with candles, matches and magnesium wire, they started off, following the edge of the cliff, till, about a mile west of the mine, Grip seemed to take a plunge into the sea and disappear. "Knows his way again," said Vores, laughing; and upon the spot where the dog had disappeared being reached, a way down for some forty or fifty feet was found, close by which a narrow opening, with the debris lying about as the pieces had been chipped, met the eye. On approaching this, Grip made his appearance, barking loudly, and then turned and went in again. "Will you go first, sir?" said Vores; and Gwyn led, candles being lit as soon as they were a little way in. They followed the descent for the most part on all-fours, and lastly by creeping and pushing the lanthorns on in front, till at last the long, low, sloping cavern was reached where so terrible a time had been passed. The floor was littered with broken stones, the result of the shot that was fired, and for a few moments Gwyn knelt there listening, expecting to hear the hiss and roar of the wind dislodged by the pressure of the water; but the only sound heard was the rustling and panting of those who were following; and as soon as Joe was out they went together to the descent into the mine. Here there was no way down farther than about twenty feet; then the water lay calm, smooth and black. "It was higher than this when we were here, Joe," exclaimed Gwyn. "Yes, right over the floor." "Pressed up by the confined air, perhaps, gentlemen," said Vores; and with this explanation they had to be content. "But about how high above the sea are we here, Vores?" said Gwyn. "No height at all, sir. According to my calculation, as we came down, we are about sea-level, and the mine must be full." They returned, bringing a few crystals as mementoes of their adventure; and that evening, when the Major was at the Cove house, Gwyn was about to bring the specimens out and relate where they had been that day, when the servant announced the comma of two visitors, and Messrs. Dix and Brownson, the solicitors, who seemed to be now on the most friendly terms, were shown in. Their visit was soon explained. They had seen the announcement, they said, of the sale, and they thought it, would be a pity to remove all the machinery, as it was in position for carrying out the working of the mine. Finally, they were there for the purpose of making the Colonel a liberal offer for the estate, house, mine, machinery, everything, as it stood. Mr Dix was the chief speaker; and when he had finished, and stood smilingly expectant that the Colonel would jump at the offer, he was somewhat taken aback by the reply,-- "But I do not want to sell my estate. This has been my home, sir, for years." "But as you wish to sell the machinery, my dear sir," said Mr Dix, "surely you would not mind parting with the mine now?" "Indeed, but I should," said the Colonel. "Then you will try and clear it, and commence work again?" "Never, sir," said the Colonel, emphatically. "Surely, then, you would not hinder others from adventuring upon what may prove a failure, but who are still willing to try?" "Indeed, but I would, sir," said the Colonel. "The machinery will be sold for what it will fetch, and then I shall return to my old, calm, peaceful life." "But, my dear sir," began Mr Brownson. "Pray do not argue the matter, sir," said the Colonel, and at last the two solicitors went disappointed away. But in the three weeks which elapsed before the auction, four more applications were made, still without result, and then came the sale, months of work, and at last the whole of the appliances of the mine that could be got at were swept away. It was about three months later that, one evening, the Major sat at a round table over which Colonel Pendarve presided, with divers books before him and a carefully-drawn-up balance-sheet, which he proceeded to read; Mrs Pendarve, Gwyn and Joe Jollivet being the other listeners. It was full of details, vouchers for all of which were in the books. But Major Jollivet stopped him. "Look here, Pendarve," he said; "the weather is going to change, or I have one of my fever fits coming on, so I don't want to be bothered. Look here, I joined you in this speculation, and it has turned out unfortunate. I trust you in every way, and I know that everything you have done is for the best. So just tell me in plain figures what is the amount of the deficit, and I will draw you a cheque for one-half. If it's too big a pull, Joe, you will have to go to work, and I into a smaller house. Now, then, please let me know the worst." "Glad you take it so well," said the Colonel, frowning, and coughing to clear his voice, while Mrs Pendarve looked very anxious, and the lads exchanged glances. "Ahem!" coughed the Colonel again. "Well, sir, in spite of the very favourable returns made by the mine, our expenses in commencing, for machinery, and the months of barren preparation, we are only--" "Will you tell me the worst?" cried the Major, angrily. "I will," said the Colonel; "the worst is, that after all we have paid and received, we now have standing in the bank the sum of twelve hundred pounds odd, which, being divided by two, means just over six hundred pounds apiece." "Loss?" cried the Major. "Gain," said the Colonel. "We worked the mine for the boys, so that money will just do for their preparation for the army, for they're fitter for soldiers than miners after all." The Major had risen to his feet, and stood with his lips trembling. "Am I dreaming?" he said. "No, my dear old friend; very wide awake." "Then I have not lost?" "No; gained enough to pay well for Joe's education, and I stand just the same. Now, boys, a good training with an army coach, and then Sandhurst. What do you say?" "Hurrah!" cried the boys in a breath; and when they repeated it their fathers joined in. About a month later Grip was loose in the garden, and seeing some one approach, Gwyn rushed at the dog, seized him by the collar, and chained him up before turning back to meet--Tom Dinass, who was coming up to the house. "You here--alive?" cried Gwyn. "Seems like it, sir," said the man, grinning. "That there dorg's as nasty and savage as ever. Guv'nor in?" "Yes, I'm here, sir," said the Colonel, who had seen the man approach. "Then you were not drowned in the mine?" "Oh, no, I warn't drowned in the mine." "Well, what is your business?" "Would you mind taking me in where we sha'n't be heard?" "No, sir; you can speak out here. I don't suppose you have anything to say that my son may not hear." "Oh, very well, then, sir, it's this here. Old Dix--Loyer Dix--sent me here, ever so long ago, to spy out and report on your mine, and I did; and both Dix and Loyer Brownson, as they're partners now, finding it a likely spec, wanted to buy it, but you wouldn't sell, and worked it yourself." "Well, sir, what of that?" "Oh, only that they were disappointed, and they became friends after, and sent me here to get took on and report everything." "Ah, I see," said the Colonel, quietly; "a spy in the camp." "Yes, sir," said the man, grinning. "And you reported everything to them?" "Yes, sir, o' course; they paid me to, and so I did." "And took our money, too!" said Gwyn, indignantly. "Oh, but I worked for that, Mr Gwyn, sir, and worked hard." "Exactly," said the Colonel, smiling; and seeing that it was apparently taken as a good joke, Dinass grinned widely. "Then they got more and more disappointed as they found out what a prize they'd let slip through their fingers; and at last got so wild that, when I went to report to 'em one Sunday, they asked me if I couldn't do something to spoil your game." "On a Sunday, eh?" said the Colonel. "Oh, yes, it was on a Sunday, sir. So I said I'd try and think it out; and at last I did, and went and told 'em I thought I could let the water in and spoil the mine, and then they'd be able to buy it cheap." "And what did they say?" "Oh, they both coughed and rubbed their hands, and said it would be too shocking a thing to do, and that I should be bringing myself under the law, and all on in that way, pretending like to make me feel that they didn't want me to do it, but egging me on all the time." "Ah, I see," said the Colonel, while Gwyn's teeth gritted together with rage. "I wasn't going to shilly-shally, so I ast 'em downright if I should do it, and 'Oh, dear no,' says they, they couldn't think of such a thing; and little Dix says, 'Of course, as we promised, if we had succeeded in buying the mine for our company through your reports we should have given you the situation of captain of the working and a hundred pounds; but we couldn't think of encouraging such criminal ideas as those you 'mulgated. Let me see,' he says, 'it was to be a hundred pounds, warn't it?' "'Yes,' I says, 'it was.' "'Exactly,' he says, 'but we haven't got the mine, so we wish you good-morning,' which was like renewing the offer in an underhanded way. So I come back and did it." "How?" burst in Gwyn. "Easy enough, sir. Found out where the highest gallery ran, stuck a big tin o' stuff over it, and set it off with a little 'lectric machine on the rocks. I knowed everybody would soon get out." "Oh!" ejaculated Gwyn. "Be quiet, my boy. Very clever and ingenious, Mr Dinass; and we thought you were drowned." "Me, sir? No, I knew a trick worth two of that." "But may I ask why you have come to me now after ruining our property?" "Why, because they've chucked me over, sir. They say I insult them by thinking they would ever do such a thing. That was when I went and asked 'em for my money. Last thing was, when I told 'em it was their doing, and they set me at it, they said I were trying to blackmail 'em-- that they never thought I meant such a thing, and that if I warn't off they'd hand me over to the police." "Exactly like them," said the Colonel. "Yes, sir, just like 'em. I call it mean, and I told 'em so, and that if they threatened me I'd speak out and let people know the truth. And I says at last, 'I give you a month to think over it; and if you don't give me my hundred pounds then, I shall blow the whole business, and how do you like that?'" "And what did Mr Dix say?" "'Brownson,' he says, 'send for a policeman at once.'" "Yes, just what he would say," said the Colonel, while Gwyn wished fervently he had not tied up Grip. "Yes, sir, that's what he said; but I give 'em rope, and I've been again and again; and last time they let me see that all the blame should be on me and none on them, for no one would believe that loyers like them could do wrong, while everyone would think bad of me. Last of all they ordered me off, and after thinking it over a bit I've come to you, sir." "What for?" said the Colonel. "Why, for you to go to law with them for spoiling your mine. You've only got to start it, and I'll come and swear to it all, and you can get them transported. Don't you be afraid, sir; I'll come and speak out, and then--" "I'm to give you a hundred pounds, I suppose?" "Well, sir," said the man, grinning, "I must have it out o' some one. But don't you be afraid; I'll bring it home to 'em sharp. Now what do you say?" "This," cried the Colonel; "I'm too old, and my son is too young, to horsewhip such a scoundrel as you are. Be off my premises at once, sir; and if you dare to come here again, old as I am, or young as he is, we'll try." "What?" cried Dinass, in a bullying tone. "Gwyn, my boy," said the Colonel, calmly, "go and unloose Grip." The words acted like magic, and they never saw Tom Dinass again, for in consultation with his old partner and friend it was decided that nothing was to be gained by a prosecution. The mining was over, they were as happy without it, and life was not long enough to punish scoundrels who had lost already in their nefarious game. "But, oh!" cried Gwyn, "I only wish he had stopped till I had let loose Grip." [THE END] _ |
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