             ,,*APT] ;,,VI
        ,,SIMON ,,=D'S ,,EXP]I;T

  ,,! OLD CLOCK 9 ! COTTAGE /RUCK "O Z
,JAMES ,/>R & 8 TWO -PANIONS W5T \4 ,A
DIM LI<T P5ETRAT$ "? ! V5TILAT+ %AFT 96!
GLADE4 ,H>RY'S LAMP 0 N NEC "H1 B X WD V
SOON 2 ( USE1 =! OLD OV]MAN 0 AB 63DUCT
! 5G9E] 6! V 5D (! ,DO*>T PIT4
  ,AF FOLL[+ ! PR9CIPAL GALL]Y =A 4T.E (
TWO MILES1 ! ?REE EXPLOR]S--=1 Z W 2
SE51 ? 0 A REGUL> EXPLOR,N-->RIV$ AT !
5TR.E (A N>R[ TUNNEL4 ,X 0 L A NAVE1 !
RO( ( : RE/$ ON WOOD"W1 COV]$ ) :ITE
MOSS4 ,X FOLL[$ V NE>LY ! L9E TRAC$ 0!C\RSE (! RIV] ,=?1 FIFTE5 HUNDR$     #EF
FEET ABV4
  8,S WE >E GO+ 6! 5D (! LA/ VE980 SD
,JAMES ,/>R4
  8,AY6 ,Y "K ! M9E WELL /40
  8,WELL1 ,SIMON10 RETURN$ ! 5G9E]1 8X W
2 DI6ICULT 6G FUR!R ?AN T1 IF ,I DON'T
MISTAKE40
  8,YES1 9DE$1 ,MR4 ,/>R4 ,T 0 ": \R
PICKS TORE \ ! LA/ BIT ( COAL 9 ! S1M4
,I REMEMB] X Z IF X 7 YE/]"D4 ,I MYF
GAVE T LA/ BL[1 & X RE-E*O$ 9 MY HE>T M
4M,Y ?AN ON ! ROCK4 ,ONLY S&/"O & S*I/ 7
R.D U AF T1 & :5 ! TRUCK ROLL$ T[>DS !
%AFT1 ,I FOLL[$1 ) MY HE>T Z FULL Z ?\<
X 7 A FUN]AL4 ,X SEEM$ 6ME T ! S\L (!
M9E 0 GO+ ) X40
  ,! GRAV;Y ) : ! OLD MAN UTT]$ ^! ^WS
IMPRESS$ ! 5G9E]1 :O 0 N F> F %>+ 8
S5TI;TS4 ,!Y 7 ^? (! SAILOR :O L1VES 8
4A#D VESSEL--(! PROPRIETOR :O SEES !
H\SE ( 8 ANCE/ORS PULL$ D[N4 ,HE PRESS$
,=D'S H&2 B N[ ! LATT] SEIZ$ T (! 5G9E]1
&1 WR++ X3
  8,T "D WE 7 ALL ( U MISTAK510 HEEXCLAIM$4 8,NO6 ,! OLD M9E 0 N       #EG
D1D4 ,X 0 N A CORPSE T ! M9]S AB&ON$2 &
,I D>E 6ASS]T1 ,MR4 ,/>R1 T XS HE>T B1TS
/40
  8,SP1K1 ,=D6 ,H Y 4COV]$ A NEW VE980
CRI$ ! 5G9E]1 UNA# 63TA9 HMF4 8,I "K Y
H6 ,YR LR CD M1N NO?+ ELSE40
  8,MR4 ,/>R10 SD ,SIMON ,=D1 8,I DID N
WI% 6TELL ANY MAN B YRF40
  8,& Y DID Q "R1 ,=D4 ,B TELL ME H[1
0:AT SIGNS1 >E Y SURE80
  8,LI/51 SIR60 RESUM$ ,SIMON4 8,X IS N
A S1M T ,I H F.D40
  8,:AT IS X1 !N80
  8,ONLY POSITIVE PRO( T S* A S1M
EXI/S40
  8,&! PRO(80
  8,CD FIRE-DAMP ISSUE F ! B[ELS (! E>?
IF COAL 0 N "! 6PRODUCE X80
  8,NO1 C]TA9LY N60 REPLI$ ! 5G9E]4 8,NO
COAL1 NO FIRE-DAMP4 ,NO E6ECTS )\T A
CAUSE40
  8,J Z NO SMOKE )\T FIRE40
  8,& H Y RECOGNIZ$ ! PRES;E ( LI<T
C>BURETT$ HYDROG580  8,AN OLD M9] CD N 2 DCVD10         #EH
ANSW]$ ,=D4 8,I H MET ) \R OLD 5EMY1 !
FIRE-DAMP60
  8,B SUPPOSE X 0 ANO!R GAS10 SD ,/>R4
8,FIREDAMP IS ALM )\T SMELL1 & COLOR.S4
,X ONLY RE,Y 2TRAYS XS PRES;E 0AN
EXPLO.N40
  8,MR4 ,/>R10 SD ,SIMON ,=D1 8W Y LET
ME TELL Y :AT ,I H D"O8 ,H>RY _H ONCE OR
TWICE OBS]V$ "S?+ REM>KA# 9 8 EXCUR.NS
6! WE/ 5D (! M9E4 ,FIRE1 : SU45LY W5T \1
"S"TS APPE>$ AL;G ! FACE (! ROCK OR ON !
EMBANK;T (! FUR!R GALL]IES4 ,H[ ^?
FLAMES 7 LI<T$1 ,I CD N & _C SAY4 ,B !Y
7 EVID5TLY [+ 6! PRES;E ( FIRE-DAMP1 &
6ME FIRE-DAMP M1NS A VE9 ( COAL40
  8,DID N ^! FIRES CAUSE ANY EXPLO.N80
ASK$ ! 5G9E] QKLY4
  8,YES1 LL "PIAL EXPLO.NS10 REPLI$ ,=D1
8S* Z ,I US$ 6CAUSE MYF :5 ,I WI%$
6ASC]TA9 ! PRES;E ( FIRE-DAMP4 ,D Y
REMEMB] H[ =M]LY X 0 ! CU/OM 6TRY
6PREV5T EXPLO.NS 2F \R GD G5IUS1
,HUMPHRY ,DAVY1 9V5T$ 8 SAFETY-LAMP80
  8,YES10 REPLI$ ,JAMES ,/>R4 8,Y M1N:AT ! ,8MONK10' Z ! M5 CALL$ HM1     #EI
US$ 6D4 ,B ,I H N"E SE5 HM 9 ! EX]CISE (
8 DUTY40
  8,9DE$1 ,MR4 ,/>R1 Y >E TOO "Y1 9
SPITE ( YR FIVE-&-FIFTY YE>S1 6H SE5 T4
,B ,I1 T5 YE>S OLD]1 (T5 SAW ! LA/
,8MONK0' "W+ 9 ! M9E4 ,HE 0 CALL$ S 2C
HE WORE A L;G ROBE L A MONK4 ,8 PROP] "N
0 ! ,8FIREMAN40' ,AT T "T "! 0 NO O!R
M1NS ( DE/ROY+ ! BAD GAS B 04P]S+ X 9 LL
EXPLO.NS1 2F XS BUOYANCY _H COLLECT$ X 9
TOO GRT QUANTITIES 9 ! HEI<TS (!
GALL]IES4 ,! MONK1 Z WE CALL$ HM1 ) 8
FACE MASK$1 8 H1D MU6L$ UP1 ALL 8 BODY
TI<TLY WRAPP$ 9 A ?ICK FELT CLOAK1
CRAWL$ AL;G ! GR.D4 ,HE CD BR1! D[N "!1
:5 ! AIR 0 PURE2 &) 8 "R H& HE WAV$ ABV
8 H1D A BLAZ+ TOR*4 ,:5 ! FIREDAMP _H
A3UMULAT$ 9 ! AIR1 S Z 6=M A DETONAT+
MIXTURE1 ! EXPLO.N O3URR$ )\T 2+ FATAL1
&1 0(T5 RENEW+ ? OP],N1 CATA/ROPHES 7
PREV5T$4 ,"S"TS ! ,8MONK0' 0 9JUR$ OR
KILL$ 9 8 "W1 !N ANO!R TOOK 8 PLACE4 ,?
0 D"O 9 ALL M9ES UNTIL ! ,DAVY LAMP 0
UNIV]S,Y ADOPT$4 ,B ,I KNEW ! PLAN1 &0XS M1NS ,I 4COV]$ ! PRES;E (        #FJ
FIREDAMP & 3SEQU5TLY T (A NEW S1M ( COAL
9 ! ,DO*>T PIT40
  ,ALL T ! OLD OV]MAN _H RELAT$ (! S-
CALL$ 8MONK0 OR 8FIREMAN0 0 P]FECTLY
TRUE4 ,! AIR 9 ! GALL]IES ( M9ES 0 =M]LY
ALW PURIFI$ 9 ! WAY DESCRIB$4
  ,FIRE-DAMP1 M>%-GAS1 OR C>BURETT$
HYDROG51 IS COLOR.S1 ALM SC5T.S2 X BURNS
)A BLUE FLAME1 & MAKES RESPIR,N
IMPOSSI#4 ,! M9] CD N LIVE 9 A PLACE
FILL$ ) ? 9JURI\S GAS1 ANY M ?AN "O CD
LIVE 9 A GASOMET] FULL ( -MON GAS4
,MOREOV]1 FIRE-DAMP1 Z WELL Z ! LATT]1 A
MIXTURE ( 9FLAMMA# GASES1 =MS A DETONAT+
MIXTURE Z SOON Z ! AIR UNITES ) X 9 A
PROPOR;N ( EI<T1 & P]H EV5 FIVE 6!
HUNDR$4 ,:5 ? MIXTURE IS LI<T$ 0ANY
CAUSE1 "! IS AN EXPLO.N1 ALM ALW FOLL[$
0A F"R;L CATA/ROPHE4
  ,Z !Y WALK$ ON1 ,SIMON ,=D TOLD !
5G9E] ALL T HE _H D"O 6ATTA9 8 OBJECT2
H[ HE 0 SURE T ! ESCAPE ( FIRE-DAMP TOOK
PLACE AT ! V 5D (! F>!/ GALL]Y 9 XS
WE/]N "P1 2C HE _H PROVOK$ SMALL & "PIALEXPLO.NS1 OR R LL FLAMES1 5 6%[ !    #FA
NATURE (! GAS1 : ESCAP$ 9 A SMALL JET1 B
)A 3T9U\S FL[4
  ,AN H\R AF L1V+ ! COTTAGE1 ,JAMES ,/>R
& 8 TWO -PANIONS _H G"O A 4T.E ( F\R
MILES4 ,! 5G9E]1 URG$ 0ANXIETY & HOPE1
WALK$ ON )\T NOTIC+ ! L5G? (! WAY4 ,HE
POND]$ OV] ALL T ! OLD M9] _H TOLD HM1 &
M5T,Y WEI<$ ALL ! >GU;TS : ! LATT] _H
GIV5 9 SUPPORT ( 8 2LIEF4 ,HE AGRE$ ) HM
9 ?9K+ T ! 3T9U$ EMIS.N ( C>BURETT$
HYDROG5 C]TA9LY %[$ ! EXI/;E (A NEW
COAL-S1M4 ,IF X _H BE5 M]ELY A SORT (
POCKET1 FULL ( GAS1 Z X IS "S"TS F.D
AM;G/ ! ROCK1 X WD SOON H BE5 EMPTY1 &!
PH5OM5ON H C1S$4 ,B F> F T4 ,AC 6,SIMON
,=D1 ! FIRE-DAMP ESCAP$ 9CESSANTLY1 & F
T FACT ! EXI/;E ( AN IMPORTANT VE9 MI<T
2 3SID]$ C]TA94 ,3SEQU5TLY1 ! RI*ES (!
,DO*>T PIT 7 N 5TIRELY EXHAU/$4 ,! *IEF
"Q N[ WAS1 :E!R ? 0 M]ELY A VE9 : WD
YIELD -P>ATIVELY LL1 OR A B$ O3UPY+ A
L>GE EXT5T4
  ,H>RY1 :O PREC$$ 8 "F &! 5G9E]1 /OPP$4
  8,"H WE >E60 EXCLAIM$ ! OLD M9]4 8,ATLA/1 ?ANK ,H1V56 Y >E "H1 ,MR4       #FB
,/>R1 & WE % SOON "K40 ,! OLD OV]MAN'S
VOICE TREM#D SLI<TLY4
  8,BE CALM1 MY MAN60 SD ! 5G9E]4 8,I AM
Z EXCIT$ Z Y >E1 B WE M/ N LOSE "T40
  ,! GALL]Y AT ? 5D (! PIT WID5$ 96A
SORT ( D>K CAVE4 ,NO %AFT _H BE5 PI]C$ 9
? "P1 &! GALL]Y1 BOR$ 96! B[ELS (! E>?1
_H NO DIRECT -MUNIC,N )! SURFACE (! E>?4
  ,JAMES ,/>R1 ) 9T5SE 9T]E/1 EXAM9$ !
PLACE 9 : !Y 7 /&+4 ,ON ! WALLS (! CAV]N
! M>KS (! PICK CD / 2 SE51 & EV5 HOLES 9
: ! ROCK _H BE5 BLA/$1 NE> ! T]M9,N (!
"W+4 ,! S*I/ 0 EXCESSIVELY H>D1 & X _H N
BE5 NEC 6BANK UP ! 5D (! TUNNEL ": ! "WS
_H -E 6AN 5D4 ,"! ! VE9 _H FAIL$1 2T !
S*I/ &! T]TI>Y S&/"O4 ,F ? V PLACE _H
BE5 EXTRACT$ ! LA/ PIECE ( COAL F !
,DO*>T PIT4
  8,WE M/ ATTACK ! DYKE10 SD ,=D1 RAIS+
8 PICK2 8= AT ! O!R SIDE (! BR1K1 AT M
OR LESS DEP?1 WE % ASSUR$LY F9D ! VE91 !
EXI/;E ( : ,I ASS]T40
  8,& 0 X ON ! SURFACE ( ^! ROCKS T Y
F.D \ ! FIRE-DAMP80 ASK$ ,JAMES ,/>R4  8,J "!1 SIR10 RETURN$ ,=D1 8& ,I   #FC
0 A# 6LI<T X ONLY 0BR++ MY LAMP NE> 6!
CRACKS 9 ! ROCK4 ,H>RY HAS D"O X Z WELL
Z ,I40
  8,AT :AT HEI<T80 ASK$ ,/>R4
  8,T5 FEET F ! GR.D10 REPLI$ ,H>RY4
  ,JAMES ,/>R _H S1T$ HMF ON A ROCK4 ,AF
CRITIC,Y 9HAL+ ! AIR (! CAV]N1 HE GAZ$
AT ! TWO M9]S1 ALM Z IF D\BT+ _! ^WS1
DECID$ Z !Y W]E4
  ,9 FACT1 C>BURETT$ HYDROG5 IS N
-PLETELY SC5T.S1 &! 5G9E]1 ^: S5SE (
SMELL 0 V KE51 0 A/ONI%$ T X _H N REV1L$
! PRES;E (! EXPLOSIVE GAS4 ,AT ANY RATE1
IF ! GAS _H M+L$ AT ALL )! SURR.D+ AIR1
X CD ONLY 2 9 A V SMALL /R1M4 ,"! 0 NO
DANG] ( AN EXPLO.N1 & !Y MI<T )\T FE>
OP5 ! SAFETY LAMP 6TRY ! EXP]I;T1 J Z !
OLD M9] _H D"O 2F4
  ,:AT TR\#D ,JAMES ,/>R WAS1 N LE/ TOO
M* GAS
  M+L$ )! AIR1 B LE/ "! %D 2 LL OR N"O4
  8,CD !Y H BE5 MISTAK580 HE MURMUR$4
8,NO3 ^! M5 "K :AT !Y >E AB4 ,& YET--0
  ,HE WAIT$1 N )\T "S ANXIETY1 UNTIL,SIMON ,=D'S PH5OM5ON %D H TAK5      #FD
PLACE4 ,B J !N X SEEM$ T ,H>RY1 L HMF1
_H REM>K$ ! ABS;E (! "*I/IC ODOR ( FIRE-
DAMP2 = HE EXCLAIM$ 9 AN ALT]$ VOICE1
8,"F1 ,I %D SAY ! GAS 0 NO L;G] ESCAP+
"? ! CRACKS60
  8,NO L;G]60 CRI$ ! OLD M9]--&1 PRESS+
8 LIPS TI<T TGR1 HE SNU6$ ! AIR S"EAL
"TS4
  ,!N1 ALL AT ONCE1 )A SU45 MOVE;T1 8,H&
ME YR LAMP1 ,H>RY10 HE SD4
  ,=D TOOK ! LAMP )A TREMBL+ H&4 ,HE
DREW (F ! WIRE GAUZE CASE : SURR.D$ !
WICK1 &! FLAME BURN$ 9 ! OP5 AIR4
  ,Z !Y _H EXPECT$1 "! 0 NO EXPLO.N1 B1
:AT 0 M S]I\S1 "! 0 N EV5 ! SLI<T
CRACKL+ : 9DICATES ! PRES;E (A SMALL
QUANT;Y ( FIREDAMP4 ,SIMON TOOK ! /ICK :
,H>RY 0 HOLD+1 FIX$ 8 LAMP 6! 5D ( X1 &
RAIS$ X HI< ABV 8 H1D1 UP 6": ! GAS1
0R1SON ( XS BUOYANCY1 WD NATUR,Y
A3UMULATE4 ,! FLAME (! LAMP1 BURN+
/RAI<T & CLE>1 REV1L$ NO TRACE (!
C>BURETT$ HYDROG54
  8,CLOSE 6! WALL10 SD ! 5G9E]4  8,YES10 RESPOND$ ,=D1 C>RY+ !      #FE
LAMP 6T "P (! WALL AT : HE & 8 SON _H1 !
EV5+ 2F1 PROV$ ! ESCAPE ( GAS4
  ,! OLD M9]'S >M TREM#D :IL/ HE TRI$
6HOI/ ! LAMP UP4 8,TAKE MY PLACE1
,H>RY10 SD HE4
  ,H>RY TOOK ! /ICK1 & SU3ESSIVELY
PRES5T$ ! LAMP 6! DI6]5T FISSURES 9 !
ROCK2 B HE %OOK 8 H1D1 =( T SLI<T
CRACKL+ PECULI> 6ESCAP+ FIRE-DAMP HE
HE>D NO?+4 ,"! 0 NO FLAME4 ,EVID5TLY N A
"PICLE ( GAS 0 ESCAP+ "? ! ROCK4
  8,NO?+60 CRI$ ,=D1 CL5*+ 8 FI/ )A
GE/URE R ( ANG] ?AN 4APPO9T;T4
  ,A CRY ESCAP$ ,H>RY4
  8,:AT'S ! MATT]80 ASK$ ,/>R QKLY4
  8,"S"O HAS /OPP$ UP ! CRACKS 9 !
S*I/60
  8,IS T TRUE80 EXCLAIM$ ! OLD M9]4
  8,LOOK1 "F60 ,H>RY 0 N MISTAK54 ,!
OB/RUC;N (! FISSURES 0 CLE>LY VISI# 0!
LI<T (! LAMP4 ,X _H BE5 REC5TLY D"O )
LIME1 L1V+ ON ! ROCK A L;G :ITI% M>K1
BADLY 3C1L$ ) COAL DU/4
  8,X'S HE60 EXCLAIM$ ,H>RY4 8,X C ONLY2 HE60                               #FF
  8,HE80 REP1T$ ,JAMES ,/>R 9 AMAZE;T4
  8,YES60 RETURN$ ! "Y MAN1 8T MY/]I\S
2+ :O HAUNTS \R DOMA91 = :OM ,I H WAT*$
A HUNDR$ "TS )\T 2+ A# 6GET AT HM--!
AU?OR1 WE MAY N[ 2 C]TA91 ( T LR : 0
9T5D$ 6H9D] Y F -+ 6SEE MY "F1 ,MR4
,/>R1 & :O F9,Y ?REW T /"O AT U 9 !
GALL]Y (! ,Y>R[ %AFT6 ,AH6 "!'S NO D\BT
AB X2 "! IS A MAN'S H& 9 ALL T60
  ,H>RY SPOKE ) S* 5]GY T 3VIC;N CAME
9/ANTLY & FULLY 6! 5G9E]'S M9D4 ,Z 6!
OLD OV]MAN1 HE 0 ALR 3V9C$4 ,2SS1 "! !Y
7 9 ! PRES;E ( AN UND5IA# FACT--! /OPP+-
UP ( CRACKS "? : GAS _H ESCAP$ FREELY !
NI<T 2F4
  8,TAKE YR PICK1 ,H>RY10 CRI$ ,=D2 8M.T
ON MY %\LD]S1 MY LAD6 ,I AM / /R;G 5
6BE> Y60 ,! "Y MAN "U/OOD 9 AN 9/ANT4 ,8
"F PROPP$ HMF UP AG/ ! ROCK4 ,H>RY GOT
^U 8 %\LD]S1 S T ) 8 PICK HE CD R1* !
L9E (! FISSURE4 ,!N ) QK %>P BL[S HE
ATTACK$ X4 ,ALM DIRECTLY AFWS A SLI<T
S.D 0 HE>D1 L *AMPAGNE ESCAP+ F A BOTTLE
--A S.D -MONLY EXPRESS$ 0! ^W 8PUFF40  ,H>RY AG SEIZ$ 8 LAMP1 & HELD X    #FG
6! OP5+4 ,"! 0 A SLI<T REPORT2 &A LL R$
FLAME1 R BLUE AT XS \TL9E1 FLICK]$ OV] !
ROCK L A ,W-O'-!-,WISP4
  ,H>RY L1P$ 6! GR.D1 &! OLD OV]MAN1
UNA# 63TA9 8 JOY1 GRASP$ ! 5G9E]'S H&S1
EXCLAIM+1 8,HURRAH6 HURRAH6 HURRAH6 ,MR4
,/>R4 ,! FIRE-DAMP BURNS6 ! VE9 IS "!60

