Page 180 - The snake's pass

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168 THE snake's pass.
might be paid in at an earlier date, with the deduction of
two per cent, per annum as discount—in which case the
receipt was to be given in full and an undertaking to
give possession at the appointed time, namely Wednesday,
27 Oct., at 12 noon.
We both signed the memorandum, he having sent
the old woman who came up from the village to cook
for him for the old schoolmaster to witness the signa-
tures. I arranged that when I should have seen my
solicitor and have had the deed proper drafted, I would
see him again. I then came away, and got back at the
hotel a little while before Dick arrived.
Dick was in great spirits ; his experiment with the
bog had been quite successful. The cutting had advanced
so far that the clay wall hemming in the bog was actually
weakened, and with a mining cartridge, prepared for the
purpose, he had blown up the last bit of bank re-
maining. The bog had straightway begun to pour into
the opening, not merely from the top, but simultaneously
to the whole depth of the cutting.
"The experience of that first half-hour of the rush,"
went on Dick, " was simply invaluable. I do wish you
'
had been there, old fellow. It was in itself a lesson on
bogs and their reclamation."
It just suited my purpose that he should do all the
talking at present, so I asked him to explain all that
happened. He went on :
" The moment the cartridge exploded the whole of the
small clay bank remaining was knocked to bits and was