"Eh? What--wha--at?" gasped the guide, blinking rapidly.

"Sit down a moment," urged Miss Elting. "None of us is seriously hurt.
How about you?" gazing at the driver. "No bones broken, I trust?"

The driver shook his head. Janus was gazing at the opening in the
floor with a puzzled expression on his face. He stared at the planks
banked on each side, nodding understandingly.

"Been fixing the bridge. Forgot to put the planks back in place," he
muttered.

"Isn't it rather strange that so important a thing should have been
forgotten, Mr. Grubb?" questioned the guardian significantly.

"I swum! I swum!" repeated Janus, running reflective fingers through
his beard.

"You haven't thwum yet, but if you thtep into that hole you will have
the pleathure of thwimming," warned Tommy, for the guide had been
edging closer and closer to the opening in the bridge floor. He drew
back a step.

The driver had recovered sufficiently to note the distressing condition
of his horses. Now he limped toward them. "They're goners!" he
groaned.

"I don't believe it," answered Jane shortly. "They will be, if you
don't do something. Why don't you get them out?"