Hillyard could make neither head nor tail of the strange scene.

It was evident that Luttrell was rehearsing a speech, but why?
And what had the Sudanese with the mallet to do with it?
A sudden and rapid sequence of events brought the truth home to him with a shock.

At a point of his speech Luttrell stamped twice, and the Sudanese soldier swung his mallet with all his force.

The head of it struck the great support full and square.

The beam jumped from its position, hopped once on its end, and fell with a crash.