“That’s true,” said Dick. “Still, I wedged the thing up shortly before the accident. It has stood a number of shocks; in fact, it can’t be loosened by pressure on the back. When do you think the last blow was struck?”
“After yours,” Jake answered meaningly.
“Then the probability is that somebody wanted the truck to fall into the hole and smash the block.”
“Yes,” said Jake, who paused and looked hard at Dick. “But I’m not sure that was all he wanted. You were standing right under the block, and if I hadn’t been a little to one side, where the lights didn’t dazzle me, the smashing of a lot of concrete wouldn’t have been the worst damage.”
Dick said nothing, but his face set hard as he braced himself against the unnerving feeling that had troubled him on the previous night. The great block had not fallen by accident; it looked as if somebody had meant to take his life. The cunning of the attempt daunted him. The blow had been struck in a manner that left him a very slight chance of escape; and his subtle antagonist might strike again.
“What are you going to do about it?” Jake resumed.
“Nothing,” said Dick.
Jake looked at him in surprise. “Don’t you see what you’re up against?”
“It’s pretty obvious; but if I ask questions, I’ll find out nothing and show that I’m suspicious. If we let the thing go as an accident, we may catch the fellow off his guard.”
“My notion is that you know more than you mean to tell. Now you began by taking care of me, but it looks as if the matter would end in my taking care of you. Seems to me you need it and I don’t like to see you playing a lone hand.”