Tom Driver was a backward youth at the best of times, but he seemed quite overcome by the amount of responsibility now thrust upon him. He shuffled forward, pressing his knees together and holding a tattered cap between his very dirty fingers. A great shock of curly yellow hair fell almost over his large brown eyes, and his face was long and pinched. "I see the man," he began, timidly, "I see 'im as I was going along the path to Bapchurch." "Was he going very fast?" said Gregg. "No, sir, he weren't walking at all. He'd fallen into the chalk pit just by Rock's Bottom." Allingham burst out into a great roar of laughter; but Gregg merely smiled and listened. "That's 'ow I come to see 'im," said Tom, shifting his cap about uneasily. "I was in a bit of a 'urry 'cos mother said I wasn't to be late for tea, and I'd been into the town to buy butter as we was a bit short. As I come by Rock's Bottom--and you know 'ow the path bends a bit sharp to the left where the chalk pit lies--it's a bit awkward for anyone 'as don't know the path--" "Yes, go on," said Gregg, impatiently. "Well, as I was coming along I see something moving about just at the top of the pit. At first I thought it was a dog, but when I come nearer I could see it was a pair of legs, kicking. Only they was going so fast you couldn't hardly tell one from t'other. Well, I ran up, thinking 'as very likely someone 'ad fallen in, and sure enough it was someone. I caught 'old of the legs, and just as I was about to pull 'im out--" "Did the legs go on kicking?" said Gregg, quickly. "Yes, sir, I 'ad a job to 'old them. And then, just as I was going to pull 'im out, I noticed something--" Tom paused for a moment and began to tremble. His teeth chattered violently, and he looked appealingly at his listeners as though afraid to continue. "Go on, Tom," commanded Inspector Grey. "Spit it out, lad. It's got to be said." "He--He--hadn't got no back to his head," blurted out Tom at last. "What!" rapped out Allingham. "There you are," said Tom, cowering and glancing reproachfully at the inspector, "I told you as 'ow t'gentlemen wouldn't believe me. T'aint likely as anybody would believe it as 'adn't seen it for themselves." "But what did you see?" enquired Gregg, kindly. "What was there to be seen?" Tom's eyes searched the room as though looking for something. Gregg was standing with his back to the fire-place, but noticing that Tom seemed to be trying to look behind him, he moved away. Tom immediately pointed to the clock that stood on the mantelpiece.