By and by they examined the wall. So far as they could see, the stonework bore the unusual load well, but in one spot there was a crack between two courses.
“I'll get up there in the morning and see if it's worth while to drive in a few wedges,” Festing remarked. “You had better watch that bank of snow. Some of it will probably break away.”
“We have had two or three small falls,” said Charnock, and Festing beckoned one of the men.
“Come up the hill in the morning, Tom. I'm going to clear the log-slide or break a new one. Which d'you think would be best?”
While they talked about it, a shower of snow fell on Charnock, who stepped back.
“Watch out!” he cried. “There's more coming!”
Festing moved a pace or two and went on talking, but Charnock fixed his eyes on the snow. The part above the track overhung the gap in a bulging cornice, as if it was moving down hill, and in a few moments a heavier shower began. The bulge got more prominent, but the cornice did not break off, and while he watched it, wondering whether he should call out the men, a stone fell from the wall and dropped at his feet. This was ominous, but next moment a mass of snow struck his head, nearly knocking him down, and when he recovered his balance and wiped his face he noted with alarm that the stones were opening and the big post leaned outwards.
“Jump for your lives, boys!” he shouted, and throwing himself on Festing, drove him back.
Then there was a roar of falling stones and a crash. The massive post lurched towards him and the air was filled with snow. He heard struts and braces crack as the post tore them out, and thought Festing turned round in order to see what was happening. He pushed him away, and then sank into loose snow and fell. Before he could get up there was a deafening noise, something struck him a heavy blow, and he was buried.
After a short struggle he got his head out, and finding that he was thinly covered, made an effort to extricate himself. When he had done so, he saw the men some distance up the bank. They were all there except Festing, but he noticed a heap of big stones and broken beams close by.