He reached the other side, stood on the bank a few minutes, then began to retrace his steps. He had gone about half way from the shore to the abutment when a sound reached his ears that caused him to halt and listen—to bend over and peer down into the shadows below.
"That sounds to me like a metal saw," muttered Steve. "It may be an echo from the shore, but I could almost swear it was down there somewhere about the abutment."
The river was so dark that he could see nothing at all, while the structure itself was in the bright moonlight. The Iron Boy crept along a little further, then lay down on his stomach, and began wriggling his way along in that position.
Reaching a point right over the abutment he placed his ear to the iron and lay listening.
"Rasp, rasp, rasp!" The sounds were clearly borne to his ears.
"Somebody is down there, as sure as I am alive! What can he be doing? I believe there is something going on here that I ought to know about. If I try to get down from here I shall be discovered, and there will be no chance of learning what I want to find out."
After a moment's reflection Rush started back toward the shore, hugging the girder as closely as possible to avoid discovery.
He reached the bank, scrambled down to the water's edge and stood peering out into the shadows. Not a sign of a human being could he make out, for the river was too wide at that point.
Steve hesitated not a moment. He removed his coat, vest, shoes and shirt, binding his suspenders about his waist for a belt; then he let himself down into the water without making the slightest splash.