The wire tightened and the slack disappeared under Smaltz’s steady pull. The carpenter and the crew watched the cross-arm anxiously as the strain came upon it under the taut wire. Their faces brightened as it held.
Smaltz looked at Jennings quizzically.
“More?”
“You ain’t heard me tell you yet to stop,” was the snarling answer.
“Here goes, then.” Smaltz’s face wore an expressive grin as he put his strength on the rope of the block-and-tackle, which gave him the pull of a four-horse team.
Bruce heard the cross-arm splinter as he came up the trail through the brush.
Jennings turned to Woods and said offensively:
“Old as you are, I guess I kin learn you somethin’ yet.”
The carpenter’s face had turned white. With a gesture Bruce stopped his belligerent advance.