Brandon of the Engineers

"I don't understand the thing," he said to Jake. "The guard-rail's heavy

and I watched the smith make the clamps we fixed it with. One claw went

over the rail, the other under the flange of the metal that formed the

track, and sudden pressure would jamb the guard down. Then, not long

before the accident, I hardened up the clamp."

"You hit it on the back?"

"Of course. I'd have loosened the thing by hitting the front."

"That's so," Jake agreed, somewhat dryly. "We'll look for the clamps in

the morning. But you didn't seem very anxious to get out of the way."

"I expect I forgot to thank you for warning me. Anyhow, you know----"

"Yes, I know," said Jake. "You didn't think about it; your mind was on

your job. Still, I suppose you see that if you'd been a moment later

you'd have been smashed pretty flat?"

Dick gave him a quick glance. There was something curious about Jake's

tone, but Dick knew he did not mean to emphasize the value of his

warning. It was plain that he had had a very narrow escape, but since one

must be prepared for accidents in heavy engineering work, he did not see

why this should jar his nerves. Yet they were jarred. The danger he had

scarcely heeded had now a disturbing effect. He could imagine what would

have happened had he delayed his leap. However, he was tired, and perhaps

rather highly strung, and he got up.

"It's late, and we had better go to bed," he said.