'That's all right,' Captain Manack answered. 'Good night.'
There was the slam of doors as the policemen got into their car. Then the engine roared into life. And at the same time a face appeared at the little dormer window at the top of the house. I could see it quite clearly in the blaze of the headlights. It looked white and strained and the beard was thrust between the bars. I could see the old man's eyes.
Then the car began to move, the headlights swung away from the face of the house and I could no longer see the window. The house was no more than a ghostly shadow in the sudden blackness.
We watched the car turn right on to the main road. We followed its headlights all the way to St. Just and traced its movement right out along the Penzance road. Only then would Dave agree to move and return to the hideout. So much had happened my brain was dazed. The girl was safe. To that extent at any rate my mind was at rest and I fell asleep with my clothes on.
I awoke at the faint sound of metal striking rock. I was sweating and the air in the dugout was stale. I rolled over and looked at my watch. It was eight-thirty. Dave was sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes. His face was pale and beaded with sweat and there were dark rings under his eyes.
The slabs of the entrance were being struck from outside in the gallery. It was a regular beat to the form of a signal. Dave went over and drew back the bolts.
The slabs swung back and Captain Manack came in. He too, looked tired and his hair stood straight up like fine wire. He glanced quickly from one to the other of us. 'Had breakfast yet, Pryce?' he asked.
'No,' I said. 'I overslept.'
'So I see.' He was like an officer on a foot inspection. His eyes took in the frousty disorder of the dugout. At length they fixed themselves on Dave, who had retired to the farthest corner, and sat biting his nails and casting surreptitious glances at his master. Manack moved towards him. His eyes had a strange look. I began to get my things together. Those eyes of his scared me. I wondered how much of his father's madness he'd inherited. He caught hold of Dave by his collar and jerked him to his feet. 'The police were here during the night.' The words were bitten short between his clenched teeth. 'I thought you said nobody saw you coming here?'
'Well, you see — "
'I don't want any more of your lies,' he almost screamed, shaking the little Welshman to and fro. It was amazing the strength he had in those thin arms. 'You said you met no one. But the local policeman, of all people, swears he saw you coming along the main road just outside Botallack. Is that true? Answer. Did he see you?'
'Yes. I was going — "
'God in heaven!' Captain Manack cried and flung Dave against the rock wall. 'You fool! Why the hell didn't you tell me? At least I'd have known what to expect.' He turned to me. 'Pryce,' he said, 'you've got to be through to the sea bed tonight.'
That's impossible,' I told him.
'Nothing's impossible,' he barked. 'Make the preliminary charges bigger. The Arisaig will be off the adit at four tomorrow morning. If the job's done you sail with her. If not — " He shrugged his shoulders. Then you take your chance in this country. Understand? You'll have Friar to work with you on the drilling. Slim, Tanner and myself will clear the loose rock after each blow. Now get moving.'
I took a can of bully, some bread and a bottle of milk and joined Slim and Friar in the gallery outside. As we went towards the gig I heard Dave's voice, pitched high on a note of fear, cry out, That's not true. I swear it isn't. I didn't want to scare you unnecessarily, look you. It was dark and — "
'Scare me?' Captain Manack laughed harshly. 'I suppose an unexpected visit from the police at four in the morning is one of those little surprises that are expected to act as a sedative Well, now I'm going to do some scaring.' There was a sudden scream and then silence.
'What the hell's he done?' I asked Friar.
He pushed me into the gig. 'You don't want ter worry yer 'ead aba't that,' he said. Slim threw over the lever and we rattled down into the depths of the mine. "E ain't killed 'im, if that's wot's worryin' yer,' Friar shouted in my ear. 'Though Gawd knows it's wot 'e deserves. Four o'clock in the bleedin' mornin' the police turns up. That's a bastard hour fer hinterrogation.'
'How did Captain Manack explain my visit?' I asked.
The gig slowed up and came to rest at the bottom of the shaft 'Easy,' Friar answered as we stepped out. 'Told 'em the truth Said yer was a deserter from Italy wot'd just come into the country. Told 'em you'd come ter 'im fer 'elp because you'd bin wiv 'im fer a short time in Eighth Army. 'E said 'e'd 'ad ter refuse yer and you'd gorn orf in the direction of St. Just.'
'And Dave Tanner?' I asked.
'There wasn't nuffink ter prove 'e'd ever come da'n ter Cripples' Ease. Believe it or not, the coppers 'adn't even got a search warrant. They just questioned us and then left. I was scared the old man would let somefink slip, but when they 'card 'e was ill, they let it go at that. But they'll be back. That's why the Capting's so keen ter get the 'ole thing finished an' the Arisaig away tonight. An' ruddy glad I'll be when it's done, too. I ain't too keen on coppers in and a't of the place like trippers.'
We climbed on to the carriage. Slim pulled back on the lever and we started down the gallery. I opened the can of bully and started my breakfast. 'What was it you discovered last night, Friar?' I shouted through a mouthful of bread and corned beef.
Friar glanced at me quickly. 'Wot d'yer mean?' he asked.
'Last night — whilst you were down the mine looking for the old man,' I shouted to him. 'You discovered something. "Fair makes me sweat to think about it" — that's what you said. What was it?'
"Ow d'you know wot I said?' he asked. 'You wasn't wiv us.'
'No,' I answered. 'But I went up for a breath of air. I heard you talking amongst yourselves as you took Old Manack up to the house. What had you found?'
'Oh, nuffink much.' Friar turned his head away and made a pretence of being interested in the movement of the bearing against the rock walls. There was more water comin' into the Mermaid than we'd reckoned, that's all.'
'That wouldn't scare me,' I shouted.
'Wot?' He gave me a quick glance. 'Let it go, mate. It ain't important.'
'Where did you find the old man — up in the old workings?'
He nodded. 'Yep.'
I fell silent then, watching that crazy contraption move steadily down the wet gallery that ran out under the sea. My guess was they'd never been down the Mermaid last night. Captain Manack had known where his father had gone and he'd made straight for the old workings. I felt uneasy. They'd discovered something; something the old man had been up to. Fair makes me sweat to think about it. I glanced closely at Friar, wondering whether he was thinking about it now. He was staring in front of him, his big, calloused hand clenched on the guard rail. Well, whatever they'd found, the old man was out of harm's way now.
The carriage slowed. The great timber beams of the scaffolding showed in the lights of our lamps. I went to have a look at the effect of the previous day's blast. The trickling sound of water was loud now that the carriage was not bumping and swaying along the ledges. There were several inches of water on the floor of the gallery. We sloshed through it. The timbers across the pit were piled high with rubble. The charge had blown out more than I had expected. I directed the beam of my lamp to the roof. Everything was covered with a thick film of rock dust. It had mingled with the water to form a slimy grey paste. One of the scaffolding timbers had been split by the blast. Water streamed down from the shaft. I picked up a piece of rock from the floor.
It was granite all right. But it was streaked with basalt.