wasstillpuzzlingmybrains，andmakingmyheadswimtonopurpose，whenIheardthemendraggingsomethingoutoftheshed。
Atthesameinstantthatthenoisecaughtmyear，theremembranceflashedacrossmelikelightningofsomebeamsofwoodwhichhadlainintheshedforyearspast。IhadhardlytimetofeelcertainthattheywereremovingoneofthesebeamsbeforeIheardShiftyDicksaytoJerry。
\"Whichdoor？\"
\"Thefront，\"wastheanswer。\"We’vecrackeditalready；we’llhaveitdownnowinnotime。\"
Senseslesssharpenedbydangerthanminewouldhaveunderstoodbuttooeasily，fromthesewords，thattheywereabouttousethebeamasabattering—ramagainstthedoor。Whenthatconvictionovercameme，Ilostcourageatlast。Ifeltthatthedoormustcomedown。NosuchbarricadeasIhadconstructedcouldsupportitformorethanafewminutesagainstsuchshocksasitwasnowtoreceive。