There he would descend to the depths of the pit, if necessary, to find Harry, and with him was sure to be the engineer James Starr.
"They haven't turned up again," said he to himself.

"Why?
Has anything prevented them?
Could any work of importance keep them still at the bottom of the mine?
I must find out!" and Ryan, hastening his steps, arrived in less than an hour at the Yarrow shaft.
Externally nothing was changed.

The same silence around.

Not a living creature was moving in that desert region.

Jack entered the ruined shed which covered the opening of the shaft.