The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

CHAP. XIII.] EDUCATION OF HIS SON. 147
Wood, the head viewer, accompanied by Eobert Stephenson and
Moodie, the under viewers, was proceeding along one of the
galleries, Wood with a naked candle in his hand, and Robert
following him with a lamp. They came to a place where a fall
of stones from the roof had taken place, and Nicholas Wood,
who was first, proceeded to clamber over the stones, holding
high the naked candle. He had reached nearly the summit of
the heap, when the fire-damp, which had accumulated in the
hollow of the roof, exploded, and instantly the whole party were
blown down, and the lights extinguished. They were a mile
from the shafl, and quite in the dark. There was a rush of the
work-people from all quarters towards the shaft, for it was
feared that the fire might extend to more dangerous parts of the
pit, where, if the gas had exploded, every soul in the mine must
inevitably have perished. Robert Stephenson and Moodie, on
the first impulse, ran back at full speed along the dark gallery
leading to the shaft, coming into collision, on their way, with the
hind quarters of a horse stunned by the explosion. When they
had gone halfway, Moodie halted, and bethought him of Nicholas
Wood. " Stop, laddie !" said he to Robert, " stop ; we maun
gang back, and seek the raaister." So they retraced their steps.
Happily no further explosion had taken place. They found the
master lying on the heap of stones, stunned and bruised, with
his bands severely burnt. They led him back out of the pit-;
and he afterwards took care never to venture into the dangerous
parts of the mine without the protection of a Geordy
lamp.
The time that Robert spent at Killingworth as under viewer
was of advantage both to his father and himself. The evenings
were generally devoted to reading and study, the two from this
time working together as friends and co-labourers. One who
used to drop in at the cottage of an evening, well remembers
the animated and eager discussions which on some occasions
took place, more especially with reference to the then comparatively
unknown powers of the locomotive engine, daily at work
on the wagon-way. The son was even more enthusiastic than
the father on this subject. Robert would suggest alterations
and improvements in this, that, and the other detail of the ma-