noon
Listening now , for any sound of blasting about ; they are hoping to come on the mine , and meet with folk some time that day . The work should have got so far by now ; a good way up from the water towards Sellanraa . But never a sound of blasting anywhere . They march till noon , meeting never a soul ; but here and there they come upon holes in the ground , where men have been digging for trial . What can this mean ? Means , no doubt , that the ore must be more than commonly rich at the farther end of the tract ; they are getting out pure heavy copper , and keeping to that end all the time . In the afternoon they come upon several more mines , but no miners ; they march on till evening , and already they can make out the sea below ; marching through a wilderness of deserted mines , and never a sound .