But his foot swinging in space found nothing to rest on.

He knelt down and felt about with his hand for the top of the ladder.

It was in vain.
"Old Nick himself must have been down this way!" said Jack, not without a slight feeling of terror.
He stood considering for some time, with folded arms, and longing to be able to pierce the impenetrable darkness.

Then it occurred to him that if he could not get down, neither could the inhabitants of the mine get up.

There was now no communication between the depths of the pit and the upper regions.