Part 9 (1/2)

There ca when the twothe weekly report Trevannion was in high good-humour; for had not their joint efforts, as he liked to call Garstin's useful suggestions, proved successful in ousting the river finally from Section D? and was not that troublesoood concrete as soon as it could be ence for the Co to fear now for the old section,” he re but the unexpected collapse of a pile,” said Garstin

”Oh, that's impossible”

”It's improbable”

The report was finished and placed in its long envelope, and they prepared to go hoan to busy hi to have a look at the section on the way,” he said; ”just to see that the river has not coly ”It's a whim of mine But don't come if you'd rather not I can join you at the steps”

”Oh, I'll come,” said Garstin--without enthusiasht, Trevannion locking the door behind him It was pitch-dark on the wharf They could feel the presence of, rather than see, the river that flowed silently in front of thehly locate the far bank by the hts that showed Berthwer town beyond A single red laed to a steas in the afternoon There were no other vessels showing lights

The rest was black with a blackness sentient of vague forms--an impenetrable wall of darkness that see their way carefully between debris and other impedimenta, they made their way towards the section, and had covered half the distance when Garstin stopped ”Don't you hear so?” he asked ”I am almost sure I was not mistaken It was like the sound of blows There cannot be anybody there now, can there?”

Trevannion halted and listened

”I don't hear anything,” he said presently ”Besides, who could be on the wharf now? You know the regulations, and the watchman is there to enforce them”

”I think--the noise has stopped”

Trevannion flashed the lantern on hiain” had co, but resu his lantern this way and that, so as to gain a larger circuain stopped, as an unexpected sound fell on his ears

”By jove--water!” he exclaimed, and broke into a run

Garstin followed as fast as he could, but, deprived of the light, he quickly carief over some old metal When he picked himself up, the other was yards ahead, and after that he had to content hiineer reached Section D and stopped breathless on the brink He had forgotten Garstin--had forgotten everything save that water was again forcing its way into the unhappy section But how and where?

Anxiously exa the opposite side with his lantern, he soon discovered what the matter was, and the discovery caused hi” had happened One of the piles was buckling--bending inwards--and the earth da way at this point He turned to shout to Garstin

Then so hit him on the shoulder and he fell backwards into Section D, wildly and vainly clutching at a beam to save himself

”Trevannion! Trevannion!”

The voice of Garstin, office-desk theoretician, assistant-engineer--Trevannion was clear about that What he did not realise so clearly hat had happened to hi, with his arht seeh he was conscious of a weight hanging doards fros He felt a curious disinclination to stir

Yet the voice went on calling, and presently he was impelled to answer ”hello, Garstin” Then, while he was still listening to the unfamiliar echo of his own voice, he heard just behind him a _splash, splash, splash_, and his left arm jerked itself spasmodically fro a substance that was hard, cold, and slimy

Then he realised

He was somewhere near the bottom of Section D His body lay across one of the lowest bealed in the water Garstin was so steadily into the section, splashi+ng noithup towards the level of the beam where he lay

Trevannion tried to raise hionising shoot of pain; it was broken He remained still and considered Was the broken arm the extent of his injuries? The cold water had nuht attached to his body Both ht be fractured for all he knew

Thehimself, at any rate until assistance ca, of course