The Silent Tower

I crouched beside a sunny brick garden border, where a clutch of smooth river pebbles gleamed in the mulch. Psst—high-stakes engineering challenge! I rolled a flat slate stone onto the warm brick to act as a stage, then gingerly hoisted a smooth gray oval right on top. It wobbled dangerously! I clamped my jaws shut and held my breath, feathering my padded paws on either side until the shuddering stopped. For the final flourish, I lowered a tiny red pebble onto the very tip. One beat... two beats... hands off! The three-tier pebble tower stood rock steady. A silent masterpiece!