The true clockwork test of the repair on Level Five arrived when Geth Marr climbed to the Level Four gallery to crack the main intake water gate and test the crushing pressure against the newly clamped splice.
Up on Level Four, fifty feet above the flooded pit, Geth stood beside the heavy cast-iron headgate winch with his two riggers, Jarek and Benn. The gallery was cold, drafty, and dark, smelling of damp limestone and old lubricating grease. Through the brass speaking tube mounted to the gallery wall, Geth whistled two sharp blasts down to Level Five.
“We’re manned at the winch, courier!” Geth’s voice echoed through the speaking pipe into the lower vault. “Stop-logs are cleared from the main water gate slot! Jarek has the hand-crank engaged! Crack the bleeder petcocks on the spreading pipe hub! When the water enters, bleed the air pockets before the head builds!”
Down on Level Five, apprentice Tella and Venn scrambled across the wet wooden walkway planks to the end of the four-foot channel. They used small brass wrenches. They cracked open the three bleeder petcocks mounted to the top crown of the pipe. Trapped air began to hiss from the vents with a sharp, dry whistle.
