"Yes, go on," said Gregg, impatiently.
"Well, as I was coming along I see something moving about just at the top of the pit. At first I thought it was a dog, but when I come nearer I could see it was a pair of legs, kicking. Only they was going so fast you couldn't hardly tell one from t'other. Well, I ran up, thinking 'as very likely someone 'ad fallen in, and sure enough it was someone. I caught 'old of the legs, and just as I was about to pull 'im out—"
"Did the legs go on kicking?" said Gregg, quickly.
"Yes, sir, I 'ad a job to 'old them. And then, just as I was going to pull 'im out, I noticed something—"
Tom paused for a moment and began to tremble. His teeth chattered violently, and he looked appealingly at his listeners as though afraid to continue.
"Go on, Tom," commanded Inspector Grey. "Spit it out, lad. It's got to be said."
"He—He—hadn't got no back to his head," blurted out Tom at last.
"What!" rapped out Allingham.
"There you are," said Tom, cowering and glancing reproachfully at the inspector, "I told you as 'ow t'gentlemen wouldn't believe me. T'aint likely as anybody would believe it as 'adn't seen it for themselves."
"But what did you see?" enquired Gregg, kindly. "What was there to be seen?"