Word: drift
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1880-1889
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...consulted, that only those who make a specialty of such subjects can afford to give them the necessary time. Such a course of lectures, giving a close idea of the conflicting views, would furnish a groundwork on which many could form clearly defined opinions who, without such help, might drift as circumstances determined into narrow and prejudiced views...
...down, I caught a few words of whispered talk between Travers and the others, from which I inferred that they were still suspicious of Colney, the man who had opposed Elsie's election into the "Company," and so had managed to put him at work in a side drift, leading off about half way down the shaft, which, as no vein of ore had been "struck" there, it was not worth while for us to visit...
...worn half through by the spades. The "pard," however, insisted that it was quite comfortable, that the rope was strong enough yet to hold a dozen; and he enforced his remarks with a dig of his elbow into my ribs which recalled to me that Colney was in the drift above, and that this might be a precaution. So I made no further opposition, and we were soon swinging in mid air, with the growing spot of sky above, the black abyss below and the rough, damp walls around, just out of our reach...
...neared the upper drift, I could not keep down a growing feeling of uneasiness. I made Elsie keep quiet under pretence of listening to a noise from the top; and when we rose to the level of the black opening I strained eye and ear to catch some sign of what Colney was doing. All was dark and silent, however; and I was just heaving a sigh of relief as we rose to the top of the opening, when, quick as a serpent's tongue, a spade-handle, with a long knife lashed to the end, darted...
...this was done in an instant, and we were not five yards above the drift when the men at the top, hearing the crash of the falling bucket, stopped turning and called down to know what was the matter. "Pull us up quick!" I shouted. "The bucket's gone, and we're hanging by the rope...