the ragged trousered philanthropists-第109章

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and　the　side　wall　of　the　house　was　a　space　about　six　feet　wide　and　this　space　formed　a　kind　of　alley　or　lane　or　passage　along　the　side　of　the　house。　　They　laid　the　ladder　on　the　ground　along　this　passage；　the　‘foot'　was　placed　about　half…way　through；　just　under　the　centre　of　the　gable；　and　as　it　lay　there；　the　other　end　of　the　ladder　reached　right　out　to　the　front　railings。

Next；　it　was　necessary　that　two　men　should　go　up　into　the　attic　…　the　window　of　which　was　just　under　the　point　of　the　gable　…　and　drop　the　end　of　a　long　rope　down　to　the　others　who　would　tie　it　to　the　top　of　the　ladder。　　Then　two　men　would　stand　on　the　bottom　rung；　so　as　to　keep　the　‘foot'　down；　and　the　three　others　would　have　to　raise　the　ladder　up；　while　the　two　men　up　in　the　attic　hauled　on　the　rope。

They　called　Bundy　and　his　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　else。　　There　were　several　younger　men　who　would　not　object　to　doing　it　…　it　would　be　mere　child's　play　to　them；　and　Barrington　had　already　…　yesterday　…　offered　to　change　jobs　with　him。

But　then；　when　he　thought　of　what　the　probable　consequences　would　be；　he　hesitated　to　take　that　course；　and　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　he　would　be　able　to　get　through　with　the　work　all　right。　　He　did　not　want　Crass　or　Hunter　to　mark　him　as　being　too　old　for　ladder　work。

Bert　came　back　in　about　half　an　hour　flushed　and　sweating　with　the　weight　of　the　rope　and　with　the　speed　he　had　made。　　He　delivered　it　to　Crass　and　then　returned　to　his　cellar　and　went　on　with　the　limewashing；　while　Crass　passed　the　word　for　Philpot　and　the　others　to　come　and　raise　the　ladder。　　He　handed　the　rope　to　Ned　Dawson；　who　took　it　up　to　the　attic；　accompanied　by　Sawkins；　arrived　there　they　lowered　one　end　out　of　the　window　down　to　the　others。

‘If　you　ask　me；'　said　Ned　Dawson；　who　was　critically　examining　the　strands　of　the　rope　as　he　passed　it　out　through　the　open　window；　'If　you　ask　me；　I　don't　see　as　this　is　much　better　than　the　one　we　made　up　by　tyin'　the　short　pieces　together。　　Look　'ere；'　…　he　indicated　a　part　of　the　rope　that　was　very　frayed　and　worn　…　‘and　'ere's　another　place　just　as　bad。'

‘Well；　for　Christ's　sake　don't　say　nothing　about　it　now；'　replied　Sawkins。　　‘There's　been　enough　talk　and　waste　of　time　over　this　job　already。'

Ned　made　no　answer　and　the　end　having　by　this　time　reached　the　ground；　Bundy　made　it　fast　to　the　ladder；　about　six　rungs　from　the　top。

The　ladder　was　lying　on　the　ground；　parallel　to　the　side　of　the　house。　The　task　of　raising　it　would　have　been　much　easier　if　they　had　been　able　to　lay　it　at　right　angles　to　the　house　wall；　but　this　was　impossible　because　of　the　premises　next　door　and　the　garden　wall　between　the　two　houses。　　On　account　of　its　having　to　be　raised　in　this　manner　the　men　at　the　top　would　not　be　able　to　get　a　straight　pull　on　the　rope；　they　would　have　to　stand　back　in　the　room　without　being　able　to　see　the　ladder；　and　the　rope　would　have　to　be　drawn　round　the　corner　of　the　window；　rasping　against　the　edge　of　the　stone　sill　and　the　brickwork。

The　end　of　the　rope　having　been　made　fast　to　the　top　of　the　ladder；　Crass　and　Harlow　stood　on　the　foot　and　the　other　three　raised　the　top　from　the　ground；　as　Barrington　was　the　tallest；　he　took　the　middle　position　…　underneath　the　ladder　…　grasping　the　rungs；　Philpot　being　on　his　left　and　Bundy　on　his　right；　each　holding　one　side　of　the　ladder。

At　a　signal　from　Crass；　Dawson　and　Sawkins　began　to　haul　on　the　rope；　and　the　top　of　the　ladder　began　to　use　slowly　into　the　air。

Philpot　was　not　of　much　use　at　this　work；　which　made　it　all　the　harder　for　the　other　two　who　were　lifting；　besides　putting　an　extra　strain　on　the　rope。　　His　lack　of　strength；　and　the　efforts　of　Barrington　and　Bundy　to　make　up　for　him　caused　the　ladder　to　sway　from　side　to　side；　as　it　would　not　have　done　if　they　had　all　been　equally　capable。

Meanwhile；　upstairs；　Dawson　and　Sawkins　…　although　the　ladder　was　as　yet　only　a　little　more　than　half　the　way　up　…　noticed；　as　they　hauled　and　strained　on　the　rope；　that　it　had　worn　a　groove　for　itself　in　the　corner　of　the　brickwork　at　the　side　of　the　window；　and　every　now　and　then；　although　they　pulled　with　all　their　strength；　they　were　not　able　to　draw　in　any　part　of　the　rope　at　all；　and　it　seemed　to　them　as　if　those　others　down　below　must　have　let　go　their　hold　altogether；　or　ceased　lifting。

That　was　what　actually　happened。　　The　three　men　found　the　weight　so　overpowering；　that　once　or　twice　they　were　compelled　to　relax　their　efforts　for　a　few　seconds；　and　at　those　times　the　rope　had　to　carry　the　whole　weight　of　the　ladder；　and　the　part　of　the　rope　that　had　to　bear　the　greatest　strain　was　the　part　that　chanced　to　be　at　the　angle　of　the　brickwork　at　the　side　of　the　window。　　And　presently　it　happened　that　one　of　the　frayed　and　worn　places　that　Dawson　had　remarked　about　was　just　at　the　angle　during　one　of　those　momentary　pauses。　　On　one　end　there　hung　the　ponderous　ladder；　straining　the　frayed　rope　against　the　corner　of　the　brickwork　and　the　sharp　edge　of　the　stone　sill；　at　the　other　end　were　Dawson　and　Sawkins　pulling　with　all　their　strength；　and　in　that　instant　the　rope　snapped　like　a　piece　of　thread。　　One　end　remained　in　the　hands　of　Sawkins　and　Dawson；　who　reeled　backwards　into　the　room；　and　the　other　end　flew　up　into　the　air；　writhing　like　the　lash　of　a　gigantic　whip。　　For　a　moment　the　heavy　ladder　swayed　from　side　to　side：　Barrington；　standing　underneath；　with　his　hands　raised　above　his　head　grasping　one　of　the　rungs；　struggled　desperately　to　hold　it　up。　　At　his　right　stood　Bundy；　also　with　arms　upraised　holding　the　side；　and　on　the　left；　between　the　ladder　and　the　wall；　was　Philpot。

For　a　brief　space　they　strove　fiercely　to　support　the　overpowering　weight；　but　Philpot　had　no　strength；　and　the　ladder；　swaying　over　to　the　left；　crashed　down；　crushing　him　upon　the　ground　and　against　the　wall　of　the　house。　　He　fell　face　downwards；　with　the　ladder　across　his　shoulders；　the　side　that　had　the　iron　bands　twisted　round　it　fell　across　the　back　of　his　neck；　forcing　his　face　against　the　bricks　at　the　base　of　the　wall。　　He　uttered　no　cry　and　was　quite　still；　with　blood　streaming　from　the　cuts　on　his　face　and　trickling　from　his　ears。

Barrington　was　also　hurled　to　the　ground　with　his　head　and　arms　under　the　ladder；　his　head　and　face　were　cut　and　bleeding　and　he　was　unconscious；　none　of　the　others　was　hurt；　for　they　had　all　had　time　to　jump　clear　when　the　ladder　fell。　　Their　shouts　soon　brought　all　the　other　men　running　to　the　spot；　and　the　ladder　was　quickly　lifted　off　the　two　motionless　figures。　　At　first　it　seemed　that　Philpot　was　dead；　but　Easton　rushed　off　for　a　neighbouring　doctor；　who　came　in　a　few　minutes。

He　knelt　down　and　carefully　examined　the　crushed　and　motionless　form　of　Philpot；　while　the　other　men　stood　by　in　terrified　silence。

Barrington；　who　fortunately　was　but　momentarily　stunned　was　sitting　against　the　wall　and　had　suffered　nothing　more　serious　than　minor　cuts　and　bruises。

The　doctor's　examination　of　Philpot　was　a　very　brief　one；　and　when　he　rose　from　his　knees；　even　before　he　spoke　they　knew　from　his　manner　that　their　worst　fears　were　realized。

Philpot　was　dead。



Chapter　47

The　Ghouls


Barrington　did　not　do　any　more　work　that　day；　but　before　going　home　he　went　to　the　doctor's　house　and　the　latter　dressed　the　cuts　on　his　head　and　arms。　　Philpot's　body　was　taken　away　on　the　ambulance　to　the　mortuary。

Hunter　arrived　at　the　house　shortly　afterwards　and　at　once　began　to　shout　and　bully　because　the　painting　of　the　gable　was　not　yet　commenced。　　When　he　heard　of　the　accident　he　blamed　them　for　using　the　rope；　and　said　they　should　have　asked　for　a　new　one。　　Before　he　went　away　he　had　a　long；　private　conversation　with　Crass；　who　told　him　that　Philpot　had　no　relatives　and　that　his　life　was　insured　for　ten　pounds　in　a　society　of　which　Crass　was　also　a　member。　　He　knew　that　Philpot　had　arranged　that　in　the　event　of　his　death　the　money　was　to　be　paid　to　the　old　woman　with　whom　he　lodged；　who　was　a　very　close　friend。　The　result　of　this　confidential　talk　was　that　Crass　and　Hunter　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　probable　that　she　would　be　very　glad　to　be　relieved　of　the　trouble　of　attending　to　the　business　of　the　funeral；　and　that　Crass；　as　a　close　friend　of　the　dead　man；　and　a　fellow　member　of　the　society；　was　the　most　suitable　person　to　take　charge　of　the　business　for　her。　　He　was　already　slightly　acquainted　with　the　old　lady；　so　he　would　go　to　see　her　at　once　and　get　her　authority　to　act　on　her　behalf。　　Of　course；　they　would　not　be　able　to　do　much　until　after　the　inquest；　but　they　could　get　the　coffin　made　…　as　Hunter　knew　the　mortuary　keeper　there　would　be　no　difficulty　about　getting　in　for　a　minute　to　measure　the　corpse。

This　matter　having　been　arranged；　Hunter　departed　to　order　a　new　rope；　and　shortly　afte