Brandon of the Engineers by Harold Bindloss

Day was breaking, though it was still dark at the foot of the range, when Dick returned wearily to his iron shack after a night's work at the dam. There had been a local subsidence of the foundations on the previous afternoon, and he could not leave the spot until precautions had been taken to prevent the danger spreading. Bethune came with him to look at some plans, and on entering the veranda they were surprised to find the house well lighted and smears of mud and water upon the floor.

"Looks as if a bathing party had been walking round the shack, and your boy had tried to clean up when he was half-asleep," Bethune said.