When he thought they had gone deep enough Festing got up and looked about.  White peaks glittered against a vivid blue sky.  The pines sparkled with frost and the snow in their shadow was a soft gray.  The river looked as black as ink, except where it foamed among the rocks, and the gorge echoed with the crash of drifting ice that shocked and splintered on the ledges.  The light was strong, and rocks and trees far up the slopes stood out, harshly distinct.  As he turned to the West, however, he noted a faint haziness and shading off in the outline of the hills.

“I don’t know if that softness means anything, and hardly believe it does,” he said.  “When I made up the wages book last night and saw what the work we have been able to do has cost us, I got a shock.  The boys are a pretty good crowd, and if we pay them off we won’t get them back; but it’s obvious we can’t go on long like this.”

Charnock nodded.  “How much money have we left?”

When Festing told him he looked thoughtful.  “I didn’t know things were quite as bad!  Well, I suppose I could get another cheque, but don’t want to put too much strain on Sadie’s generosity.  She might imagine I’d got on a jag!  There are drawbacks to having a character like mine; it’s easier lived up to than got rid of.  However, what do you suggest?”

“We’ll hold on while the money lasts.”

“The plan’s simple, as far as it goes.  It’s remarkable how short a time money does last and how hard it is to earn.  Sadie misled me about that; she used to hint that I had only to apply my talents and pick up the cash; but since she’s a business woman, she ought to have known better.  The virtuous path is about as rocky as luck can make it; but perhaps you take something for granted if you allow that making money is virtuous.”

Festing frowned impatiently.  “One ought to pay one’s debts.”

“One’s generally forced,” Charnock replied.  “But I think I see what you mean.  We undertook this contract and must carry it out if possible.  Sadie would agree.  She’s like her father, and the old man often said:  ’It’s safe to deal with Keller’s.  When you put up the money, we put up the goods.’  But let’s get the powder.”

Opening a box, he took out a stick of yellow material that looked rather like a thick candle.  A big copper cap was squeezed into one end, and from the cap there trailed a length of black fuse.  Festing put the stick into the hole and cautiously filled this up with frozen soil, leaving a short piece of fuse sticking out.  While he was feeling for his matches Kerr arrived.

“You are making trouble for me,” the latter began.  “You did the square thing in pulling out the weak frames, but they’re not replaced, and I can’t run the gravel train across the spot.  As the back track is nearly ballasted up, I don’t know how I’m going to use the locomotive and cars.”

“The frost is stopping us,” said Festing.  “It is not our fault.”