nd Jim sent three or four men to
build a wall to protect the line, while he and some others put up the
posts. Their progress was slow, because it was necessary to make the
wall strong and Jim was occupied for a week before he was satisfied
with the length he had built. He thought it ought to stand, but felt
disturbed when he calculated what the extra work had cost. It was,
however, a comfort to know he had covered the worst ground, and soon
after supper one evening he went off in better spirits than usual to a
little bark shelter he had built for himself.

He was tired and soon went to sleep, but after some hours awoke. He
supposed he was rather highly strung after working hard, because he did
not feel sleepy, and lifting his head he looked about. The end of the
shelter was open and the pines outside rose like vague black spires,
their tapered tops cutting against the sky. Although there was no
moon, the first row of trunks stood out against the deeper gloom
behind. One could smell the resin and the warm soil, damped by heavy
dew. All was very quiet, but after a few moments Jim began to listen.
He had lived in the wilds, his senses were keen, and sometimes he
received unconsciously impressions of minute noises. Although the
stillness was only broken by the turmoil of the river far down in the
valley, he imagined it was not for nothing he had wakened.

Then he raised himself on his elbow as he heard another sound. It was
very faint, but somehow definite, although he could not tell what it
was. A few moments afterwards, he knew; a stone was rolling down hill
and disturbing others as it went. Then there was a sharp crash and a
rattle that began to swell into a roar, and Jim, leaping up, ran along
the hill. The bank he had built had broken and the stones behind it
were plunging down.

When he reached the line he struck his foot against a rock and
stumbled. The ground was rough, the night was dark, but it was
unthinkable that he should stop. He clenched his hands and ran,
although he did not know what he could do. When trouble threatened he
must be on the spot. In the meantime, the noise got louder. He heard
great blocks strike the ledges down the slope and smash; trees broke
and branches crashed, while behind the detached shocks there was a
steady, dull roar of small gravel grinding across the rocks and tearing
up the brush. The wall had obviously gone and its collapse had started
a slide that might no