attack, made at another point? Charnock determined to be
cautious and keep his eyes open.

He saw nothing to cause him fresh anxiety, although he once or twice
visited the pond at night. In the daytime his work absorbed his
attention, for they were now building a lofty frame on the steepest
pitch of the dip. The foot of the longest timber, which was unusually
massive, rested in a socket cut in the rock near the water's edge, and
it cost them a very hard and dangerous day's work to get the log on end.
Indeed, for a few anxious minutes Charnock imagined that the mass
would break the tackles and come down. When fixed, it was nearly
perpendicular, but its top inclined slightly toward the bank, and
Festing sent for Norton and Kerr.

"It's a good post, but I'm not sure we have got spread enough," he
said. "There's not much to resist the outward thrust a heavy train might
cause. Still, I don't see how we could have carried the foot farther
back."

"You'd have to go into the water," Norton agreed. "That would have meant
a coffer dam, and the Company won't stand for expensive extras."

"The ice would have smashed the dam," said Kerr. "The job meets the
plan, which calls for stays to stop the post canting out. Put in
an extra king-tie half-way up and I'll pass your bill and find the
ironwork."

Festing was satisfied with this, and the post was stayed with chains
while they got the braces fixed. This took some days, for the men were
forced to work on dangerous snowy ledges and boards, hung from the top.
Where there was most risk and difficulty Festing went himself, but he
looked anxious.

"It's the worst part of the job and perhaps the most awkward thing I've
done," he said one night. "If the frame came down with the rockwork
filling, it might start the rest and shake some length of road."

"But there's no reason it should come down," Charnock argued.

"Not in a way, but I'm glad Kerr authorized the extra brace. We'll use
the heaviest stuff we can, and although the fastenings may give some
trouble, we haven't come to them yet. Perhaps I'm getting nervous. We're
up to schedule and doing pretty well, but it will be a relief to get the
contract finished."

Charnock told him about Wilkinson, and he looked thoughtful.

"I can't see his object, particularly since he left the chain alone. Of
course he may have meant some mischief, but gave it up when he found you
on his track."

"Somehow I don't think that was it," said Ch