I looked nearer, and found we were in a coal formation.
"A coal mine!" I cried.
"A mine without miners," my uncle replied.
"Who knows ?" I asked.
"I know," the Professor pronounced decidedly, "I am certain that this gallery driven through beds of coal was never pierced by the hand of man.

But whether it be the hand of nature or not does not matter.
Supper time is come; let us sup." Hans prepared some food.

I scarcely ate, and I swallowed down the few drops of water rationed out to me.

One flask half full was all we had left to slake the thirst of three men.
After their meal my two companions laid themselves down upon their rugs, and found in sleep a solace for their fatigue.

But I could not sleep, and I counted every hour until morning.
On Saturday, at six, we started afresh.