human
Run down this passage, Bill, called Grant.
gpt
Get all those fellows. Evans, you call the first level; I'll skin down this rope to the men below. In an instant, as the men were flying on their errands, his red head disappeared down the rope into the darkness. At the bottom of the hoist in the third level Grant found forty or fifty men at work. They were startled to see him come down without waiting for the bucket to go up and he called breathlessly as his feet touched the earth:
human
Boys, there's a fire above on the next level--I don't know how bad it is; but it looks bad to me. They may get it out with a hose from the main bottom--if they've got hose there that will reach any place.
gpt
Let's go up,
human
Hold on now, boys--hold on. The fans will be blowing that fire down this air shaft in a few minutes. How far up have you got the ladders?
gpt
Still twelve feet shy. There was a scramble for the buckets, but no one offered to man the windlass and hoist them up the air shaft. Grant was only a carpenters' boss. The men around the buckets were miners. But he called:
human
Get out of there, Hughey and Mike--none of that. We must make that ladder first--get some timbers--put the rungs three feet apart, and work quick.
gpt
Here, Johnnie--you got no family--get hold of this windlass with me. Ready now--family men first--you, Sam--you, Edwards--you, Lewellyn.
human
Hurry, hurry--here she comes,