The pain had gone and he felt cheerful.
When he returned to work on Monday he was sent with a bag of bolts to the bridge, and presently reached a spot where the heavy rain had washed away the track.

For about a dozen yards the terrace cut in the hillside had slipped down, leaving a narrow shelf against the bank.

The shelf broke off near the middle, where a gully had opened in the hill.

Water flowed through the gap, and in order to get across one must pick a way carefully over the steep, wet slope.

This, however, would save a toilsome climb, and Charnock, jerking the bag higher on his shoulders, went on.
A few minutes later he saw Wilkinson come round a corner.