“You’re stubborn, Bob, but let’s get off,” he said.
CHAPTER XX
Austin’s understudy
Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice. The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark. Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel. At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm. Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
For a few moments the wind dropped, and the reflections flickered across the shore end of the bridge. The steep bank was faced by stone, and broken rock was stacked along the line. To grade the approach to the bridge was the railroad company’s business, but Kit supposed he could use their material.
“I think we’ll dump some rock about the shaky pile,” he said.
Austin’s brain was dull and to keep his feet was hard, but he nodded.
“Very well. Send a gang along.”
“You are chief. The order ought to come from you,” Kit remarked.
A few minutes afterwards they met the foreman.
“We’re surely up against it,” said the man. “The outside column’s sagging. If we could bolt up the truss, we might hold her, but the straps won’t come across.”