mate Ned Dawson to help, and it was arranged
that Harlow and Crass should stand on the foot because they were the
heaviest. Philpot, Bundy, and Barrington were to 'raise', and Dawson
and Sawkins were to go up to the attic and haul on the rope.

'Where's the rope?' asked Crass.

The others looked blankly at him. None of them had thought of bringing
one from the yard.

'Why, ain't there one 'ere?' asked Philpot.

'One 'ere? Of course there ain't one 'ere!' snarled Crass. 'Do you
mean to say as you ain't brought one, then?'

Philpot stammered out something about having thought there was one at
the house already, and the others said they had not thought about it at
all.

'Well, what the bloody hell are we to do now?' cried Crass, angrily.

'I'll go to the yard and get one,' suggested Barrington. 'I can do it
in twenty minutes there and back.'

'Yes! and a bloody fine row there'd be if Hunter was to see you! 'Ere
it's nearly ten o'clock and we ain't made a start on this gable wot we
ought to 'ave started first thing this morning.'

'Couldn't we tie two or three of those short ropes together?' suggested
Philpot. 'Those that the other two ladders was spliced with?'

As there was sure to be a row if they delayed long enough to send to
the yard, it was decided to act on Philpot's suggestion.

Several of the short ropes were accordingly tied together but upon
examination it was found that some parts were so weak that even Crass
had to admit it would be dangerous to attempt to haul the heavy ladder
up with them.

'Well, the only thing as I can see for it,' he said, 'is that the boy
will 'ave to go down to the yard and get the long rope. It won't do
for anyone else to go: there's been one row already about the waste of
time because we didn't call at the yard for the ladder at six o'clock.'

Bert was down in the basement of the house limewashing a cellar. Crass
called him up and gave him the necessary instructions, chief of which
was to get back again as soon as ever he could. The boy ran off, and
while they were waiting for him to come back the others went on with
their several jobs. Philpot returned to the small gable he had been
painting before breakfast, which he had not quite finished. As he
worked a sudden and unaccountable terror took possession of him. He did
not want to do that other gable; he felt too ill; and he almost
resolved that he would ask Crass if he would mind letting him do
something el