“That simplifies matters.  If you had wanted a lawyer or an accountant, I could have sent a man.  However, there’s another thing—­”

“There is; it’s important,” Kerr agreed.  “Who’s going to carry on the contract?”

Charnock leaned forward eagerly.  “I’ll try.  Give me a chance.  I think I know my job.”

There was silence for a few moments and Norton looked at Kerr, who slowly filled his pipe.

“I’d like to consent,” he said, “but I’m the Company’s servant and there’s a risk.”  He paused and turned to Norton.  “However, it’s really your business.  If things go wrong, the trouble’s coming to you first.”

“Sure.  I’m willing to take the risk.  I don’t expect Charnock will fool the job, but if he does you can get after me.  I’ll stand for it.”

“Very well!  We’ll let it go at that.”

Charnock got up, with some color in his bandaged face, because he knew what Norton’s confidence meant.  He was, so to speak, an unknown man and the contract had been given to Festing, who was an engineer.  If he failed, the men who trusted him would be held accountable.

“Thank you both,” he said with feeling.  “If labor and money can put the thing over, I won’t let you down.”

He went out, for he had, in his anxiety about other matters, forgotten his men, and it was now important that no time, which must be paid for, should be wasted.  Finding some of the gang at work clearing away the fallen material and some hauling lumber on the hill, he gave them a few orders and returned to the shack.  When he got there Festing was conscious and the doctor said he might speak to him.

“How do you feel?” Charnock asked.

“Better than the doctor thinks I ought to feel,” Festing answered with a feeble smile.  “You seem to have got knocked about!”

Charnock said he was not much the worse, and Festing resumed:  “Have you seen Norton?  What does he say about the contract?”

“I have seen him; you needn’t bother.  He has left the job to me; I’ll finish it somehow.”

A look of relief came into Festing’s face.  “That’s comforting news; I was afraid—­You’re a good partner, Bob!”

“I don’t know if I’ve been of much help so far, and the money I put into the undertaking wasn’t mine.  There’s a third partner, Stephen, and I think she’d like me to see you through.”

Festing gave him a grateful glance and closed his eyes.  After a time, he opened them feebly and asked:  “Do you know why the frame gave way?”

“Not yet,” said Charnock with some dryness.  “I mean to find out!”

Then the doctor interrupted and sent him away.  Going back to the scene of the accident, he found the damage less serious than he thought.  Part of the wall had fallen and the post, which had broken, had pulled down the timbers attached, but these could be replaced, and Charnock, calling two men, began to clear the snow from the king-tie, which he imagined had given way first.  He found the Lewis bolt fixed to its end, but the wedge had gone, and he climbed to the spot where the end of the beam had been fixed.  The stone socket had not broken, but pieces of crushed lead lay near the hole.  The soft metal had not much holding power and had been used to fill up the crevices.