Part 37 (2/2)
The beam is to have a little standing-place on it at every eighteen feet.”
”Yes, I understand that, and it's to be attached to an engine lever which will raise it eighteen feet, and then lower it eighteen feet.”
”Of course. Well, what's the good of pretending you did not understand?”
”I didn't pretend; I don't understand.”
Gwyn laughed.
”You are a fellow! There'll be a ledge for a man to stand on, all down the beam from top to bottom exactly opposite the regular platform.”
”Yes, I understand that.”
”Well, then, what is it you don't understand?” cried Gwyn, smiling.
”How it works.”
”Why, you said you did just now. Oh, I say, Jolly-wet, what a foggy old chap you are. You said as plain as could be, that the beam rose and fell eighteen feet.”
”Oh, yes, I said that, but I don't understand about the men.”
”Well, you are a rum one, Joe. Is it real, or are you making believe?”
”Real. Now, suppose it was us who wanted to go down.”
”Well, suppose it was us.”
”What do we do?”
”Why, we--”
”No, no, let me finish. I say, what do we do? We step on the ledge attached to the beam?”
”Of course we do, only one at a time.”
”Very well, then, one at a time. Then down goes the beam eighteen feet to the next platform.”
”Yes, and then up it rises again eighteen feet, and most likely there'd be a man on every ledge, from top to bottom.”
”Well, what's the good of that?”
”Good? Why, so that the men can ride up or down when they're tired, and do away with the ladders.”
”Isn't that absurd? I'm sure my father never meant to put a lot of money into this thing so as to give the men a ride up and down on a patent see-saw.”
”Oh I say, Joe, what a chap you are! What have you got in your head?”
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