Chapter 3 - Page 2

to see, hung in the horizon, mingling with the clouds.
No tall cylindrical or prismatic chimney vomited out smoke,
after being fed from the mine itself; no blast-pipe was puffing
out its white vapor. The ground,

formerly black with coal dust, had a bright look, to which James Starr's
eyes were not accustomed.

When the engineer stood still, Harry Ford stopped also.
The young miner waited in silence. He felt what was passing
in his companion's mind, and he shared his feelings; he, a child
of the mine, whose whole life had been passed in its depths.

"Yes, Harry, it is all changed," said Starr. "But at the rate we worked,
of course the treasures of coal would have been exhausted some day.
Do you regret that time?"

"I do regret it, Mr. Starr," answered Harry. "The work was hard,
but it was interesting, as are all struggles."

"No doubt, my lad. A continuous struggle against the dangers
of landslips, fires, inundations, explosions of firedamp, like claps
of thunder. One had to guard against all those perils! You say well!
It was a struggle, and consequently an exciting life."

"The miners of Alva have been more favored than the miners
of Aberfoyle, Mr. Starr!"

"Ay, Harry, so they have," replied the engineer.

"Indeed," cried the young man, "it's a pity that all the globe
was not made of coal; then there would have been enough to last
millions of years!"

"No doubt there would, Harry; it must be acknowledged,
however, that nature has shown more forethought by forming
our sphere principally of sandstone, limestone, and granite,
which fire cannot consume."

"Do you mean to say, Mr. Starr, that mankind would have ended
by burning their own globe?"

"Yes! The whole of it, my lad," answered the engineer.
"The earth would have passed to the last bit into the furnaces
of engines, machines, steamers, gas factories; certainly, that would
have been the end of our world one fine day!"

"There is no fear of that now, Mr. Starr. But yet, the mines will
be exhausted, no doubt, and more rapidly than the statistics make out!"

"That will happen, Harry; and in my opinion England is very
wrong in exchanging her fuel for the gold of other nations!
I know well," added the engineer, "that neither hydraulics nor
electricity has yet shown all they can do, and that some day
these two forces will be more completely

utilized. But no matter! Coal is of a very practical use,
and lends itself easily to the various wants of industry.
Unfortunately man cannot produce it at will. Though our external
forests grow incessantly under the influence of heat and water,
our subterranean forests will not be reproduced, and if they were,
the globe would