Patience Wins: War in the Works

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

  WHAT I CAUGHT AND HEARD.

  "I should say you will very likely have some sport," said Uncle Dick."Try by all means."

  "I hardly like to, uncle," I said.

  "Nonsense, my lad! All work and no play makes Jack--I mean Jacob--adull boy."

  "But it will seem as if I am neglecting my work."

  "By no means. Besides, we shall not be busy for a day or two. Have afew hours' fishing, and I daresay one of us will come and see how youare getting on."

  The opportunity was too tempting to be lost, so I got a cheap rod and adear line--a thoroughly good one, asked a gardener just outside to digup some small red worms for me, and, furnishing myself with some pasteand boiled rice, I one morning took my place up at the head of the damwhere the stream came in, chose a place where the current whirled roundin a deep hole and began fitting my tackle together prior to throwingin.

  I had been longing for this trial, for I felt sure that there must besome big fish in the dam. It was quite amongst the houses andfactories, but all the same it was deep, there was a constant run offresh water through it, and I had more than once seen pieces of breadsucked down in a curiously quiet way, as if taken by a great slow movingfish, a carp or tench, an old inhabitant of the place.

  Certainly it was not the sort of spot I should have selected for a day'sfishing had I been offered my choice, but it was the best I could obtainthen, and I was going to make the most of it.

  I laughed to myself as I thought of the eels, and the great haul I hadmade down in the wheel-pit, and then I shuddered as I thought of thehorrors I had suffered down there, and wondered whether our troubleswith the men were pretty well over.

  I hoped so, for from what I heard the business was succeeding beyond thehopes of the most sanguine of my uncles, and if we were left alonesuccess on the whole was assured.

  Of course it was this brilliant prospect that induced them to stay onand dare the perils that lurked around, though, during the past fewweeks, everything had been so quiet that once more we were indulging inthe hope that the war was at an end.

  In spite of Dr Johnson's harsh saying about a fisherman, I know of nomore satisfactory amusement than is to be found in company with a rodand line. The sport may be bad, but there is the country, the brightsky, the waving trees, the dancing waters, and that delicious feeling ofexpectation of the finest bite and the biggest fish that never comes butalways may.

  I was in this state of expectancy that day. The sport was not goodcertainly, for the fish I caught were small, but I argued that wherethere were small fish there must be large, and sooner or later some ofthe monsters of the dam would see and take my bait.

  I fished till dinner-time, varying my position, and when the bell rangsome of the men came and sat on the edge and watched me, chattingcivilly enough as they smoked their pipes.

  As luck had it I caught a couple of good-sized silvery roach, andStevens gave his leg a regular slap as he exclaimed:

  "Well if they'd towd me there was fish like that i' th' dam I wouldn'thev believed it."

  The bell rang for work to be resumed, and the men slowly moved along thedam edge, Stevens being left, and he stopped to fill and light hispipe--so it seemed to me; but as he stooped over it, puffing away largeclouds of smoke, I heard him say:

  "Don't look. Soon as men's gone in, yow go and stand on ledge closeunder grinding-shop windows, and see what you catch."

  "It's such an awkward place to get to," I said. "I suppose it's deep,but--"

  "You do what I tell'ee, and don't talk," growled Stevens, and hestrolled off with his hands in his pockets after his mates.

  "I sha'n't go," I said. "It's a very awkward place to get to; the ledgeis not above nine inches wide, and if I got hold of a big fish, how am Ito land him!"

  The very idea of getting hold of a fish that would be too hard to landwas too much for me, and I should have gone to the ledge if it had onlybeen four and a half inches wide. So, waiting to have a few morethrows, which were without result, I picked up my basket, walked rightround the end of the dam, and then along the top of a narrow wall till Ireached the end of the works at the far side, and from there loweredmyself gently down on the ledge, along which Pannell had brought me whenhe rescued me from the wheel-pit, right at the other end, and towardswhich I was slowly making my way.

  It was slow travelling, and my feet were not above a couple of inchesabove the water, while the windows of the grinding-shop were about fourfeet above my head.

  I made no special selection, but stopped right in the middle, just whereI imagined that the dam head would be deepest, and softly dropped in myline after setting down my basket and leaning my back against the stonebuilding.

  As I did so I wished that there had been a place to sit down, but therewas of course only just room to stand, and there I was with the watergliding on and over the great wheel a few yards to my left; to my rightthe windows, out of which poured the black smoke of the forges, and fromwhich came the _clink chink_ of hammer upon anvil, while above me camethrobbing and vibrating, screeching and churring, the many varied soundsmade by the grinders as they pressed some piece of steel against theswiftly revolving stone, while, in spite of dripping drenching water,the least contact drew from the stone a shower of sparks.

  I fished on, after making a few alterations in the depth of my bait,finding the water far deeper than I expected. I renewed that bait, too,but no monstrous fish came to take it, to hook itself, and to make arush and drag me off my ledge. The sounds buzzed and rattled overhead;there was the echoing plash of the water over the wheel, and thewhispering echoes which did not sound at all terrible now, and above allfrom the windows overhead, in intervals of the grinding, I could hearthe men talking very earnestly at times.

  I paid very little heed, for I was interested in my fishing and thewater across which the spiders were skating. I wanted a big bite--thatbig bite--but still it did not come, and I began to wonder whether therewere any fish of size in the place.

  "There's every reason why there should be," I thought. Deep clear waterfed by the great dam up in the hills, and of course that dam was fed bythe mountain streams. This place was all amongst buildings, and plentyof smuts fell on the surface; in fact the wind used to send a regularblack scum floating along to the sides.

  _Plop_!

  My heart gave a throb of excitement, for there was a rise evidently madeby a big fish over to my right close inshore.

  "Now if I had been there," I thought, "I should have most likely beenable to catch that fish and then--"

  Bah! Who wanted to catch a great water-rat that had plumped off thebank into the water? I could see the sleek-coated fellow paddling aboutclose inshore. Then he dived down, and there were a lot of tiny bubblesto show his course before he went right in under the bank, which wasfull of holes.

  I could almost fancy I was in the country, for there were a few rushesand some sedgy growth close to where the rat had been busy. Fartheroff, too, there was the sound that I had heard down in a marshy part ofEssex with my uncles, during one of our excursions. "_Quack, quack,quack! Wuck, wuck, wuck_!"--a duck and a drake just coming down to thewater to drink and bathe and feed on the water-weed and snails.

  Yes; it quite put me in mind of the country to have wild ducks comingdown to the pool, and--there were the two wild ducks! One, as the cryhad told me, was a drake, and he had once been white, but old age andArrowfield soot and the dirty little black yard where he generally livedhad changed his tint most terribly, and though he plunged in, and bobbedand jerked the water all over his back, and rubbed the sides of his headand his beak all among his feathers, they were past cleaning.

  As to his wife, who expressed herself with a loud quack, instead ofsaying _wuck, wuck_ in more smothered tones, she was possibly quite asdirty as her lord, but being brown the dirt did not show. Her rags did,for a more disreputable bird I never saw, though she, too, washed andnapped her wings, and dived and drenched herself before
getting out onthe bank to preen and beak over her feathers.

  Alas! As people say in books, it was not the country, but dingy,smoke-bewithered Arrowfield, and I wondered to myself why a couple ofbirds with wings should consent to stay amongst factories and works.

  I knew the top of my float by heart; so must that skating spider whichhad skimmed up to it, running over the top of the water as easily as ifit were so much ice. I was growing drowsy and tired. Certainly Ileaned my back up against the wall, but it was quite upright, and therewas no recompense. Whatever is the use of watching a float that willnot bob? It may be one of the best to be got in a tackle-shop, with alovely subdivision of the paint--blue at the bottom and white at thetop, or green and white, or blue and red, but if it obstinately persistsin sitting jauntily cocked up on the top of the water immovable, fishingno longer becomes a sport.

  But I did not fish all that time for nothing.

  As I said, I was becoming drowsy with looking so long at the black capat the top of my float. Perhaps it was the whirr and hum of themachinery, and the faint sound of plashing water; even the buzz andchurr and shriek of the steel upon the fast spinning stones may have hadsomething to do with it. At any rate I was feeling sleepy and stupid,when all at once I was wide-awake and listening excitedly, for theshrieking of blade held upon grindstone ceased, and I heard a voice thatwas perfectly familiar to me say:

  "Tell 'ee what. Do it at once if you like; but if I had my wayer I'dtie lump o' iron fast on to that theer dorg's collar and drop 'im indam."

  "What good ud that do?" said another voice.

  "Good! Why we'd be shut on him."

  "Ay, but they'd get another."

  "Well, they wouldn't get another boy if we got shut o' this one," saidthe first voice.

  "But yow wouldn't go so far as to--"

  The man stopped short, and seemed to give his stone a slap with theblade that he was grinding.

  "I d'know. He's a bad un, and allus at the bottom of it if owt is foundout."

  "Ay, but yow mustn't."

  "Well, p'r'aps I wouldn't then, but I'd do something as would mak himthink it were time to go home to his mother."

  My face grew red, then white, I'm sure, for one moment it seemed toburn, the next it felt wet and cold. I did not feel sleepy any longer,but in an intense state of excitement, for those words came from thewindow just above my head, so that I could hear them plainly.

  "It's all nonsense," I said to myself directly after. "They know I'mhere, and it's done to scare me."

  Just then the churring and screeching of the grinding steel burst outlouder than ever, and I determined to go away and treat all I had heardwith silent contempt. Pulling up my line just as a fisher will, I threwin again for one final try, and hardly had the bait reached the bottombefore the float bobbed.

  I could not believe it at first. It seemed that I must have jerked theline--but no, there it was again, another bob, and another, and then aseries of little bobs, and the float moved slowly off over the surface,carrying with it a dozen or so of blacks.

  I was about to strike, but I thought I would give the fish a little moretime and make sure of him, and, forgetting all about the voicesoverhead, I was watching the float slowly gliding away, bobbing nolonger, but with the steady motion that follows if a good fish has takenthe bait.

  And what a delight that was! What a reward to my patience! That it wasa big one I had no doubt. If it had been a little fish it would havejigged and bobbed the float about in the most absurd way, just as if thelittle fish were thoughtless, and in a hurry to be off to play on thesurface, whereas a big fish made it a regular business, and was calm anddeliberate in every way.

  "Now for it," I thought, and raising the point of the rod slowly I wasjust going to strike when the grinding above my head ceased, and one ofthe voices I had before heard said:

  "Well, we two have got to go up to the _Pointed Star_ to-night to getour orders, and then we shall know what's what."

  I forgot all about the fish and listened intently.

  "Nay, they can't hear," said the voice again, as if in answer to awarning; "wheels makes too much noise. I don't care if they did.They've had warnings enew. What did they want to coom here for?"

  "Ay," said another, "trade's beginning to feel it a'ready. If we let'em go on our wives and bairns 'll be starving next winter."

  "That's a true word, lad; that's a true word. When d'yow think it'llbe?"

  "Ah, that's kept quiet. We shall know soon enew."

  "Ay, when it's done."

  "Think this 'll sattle 'em?"

  "Sattle! Ay, that it will, and pretty well time. They'll go back toLonnon wi' their tails twix' their legs like the curs they are. Say,think they've got pistols?"

  "Dunno. Sure to hev, ah sud say."

  "Oh!"

  "Well, s'pose they hev? You aren't the man to be scarred of a pop-gun,are yo'?"

  "I d'know. Mebbe I should be if I hev the wuck to do. I'm scarred o'no man."

  "But you're scarred of a pistol, eh lad? Well, I wunner at yo'."

  "Well, see what a pistol is."

  "Ay, I know what a pistol is, lad. Man's got a pistol, and yo' hit 'ima tap on the knuckles, and he lets it fall. Then he stoops to pick itup, and knobstick comes down on his head. Nowt like a knobstick, lad,whether it be a man or a bit o' wood. Wants no loading, and is allussafe."

  "Well, all I've got to say is, if I have the wuck to do I shall--"

  _Churr, churry, screech, and grind_. The noise drowned the words I waseager to hear, and I stood bathed with perspiration, and hot and cold inturn.

  That some abominable plot was in hatching I was sure, and in anotherminute I might have heard something that would have enabled us to beupon our guard; but the opportunity had passed, for the men were workingharder than ever.

  I was evidently in very bad odour with them, and I thought bitterly ofthe old proverb about listeners never hearing any good of themselves.

  What should I do--stop and try to hear more?

  _Jig, jig, tug, tug_ at the top of my rod, and I looked down to see thatthe float was out of sight and the rod nearly touching the water.

  My fisherman's instinct made me strike at once, and in spite of theagitation produced by the words I had heard I was ready for the excitingstruggle I expected to follow. I had certainly hooked a fish whichstruggled and tugged to get away; but it was not the great carp or tenchI expected to capture, only a miserable little eel which I drew throughthe water as I walked slowly along the ledge towards the end of theworks farthest from the wheel, where I climbed on the wall, and, stilldragging my prize, I went right on to the far end, where the water camein from the stream. There I crossed the wooden plank that did duty fora bridge, and glanced furtively back at the windows of the works lookingout upon the dam.

  As far as I could make out I had not been seen, and I had obtained somevery valuable information that might be useful for our protection.

  When I had reached the spot where I had begun fishing I drew in mycapture; but it was not a long eel, but a mass of twined-up, snake-likefish which had wreathed itself into a knot with my line.

  To get it free seemed to be impossible, so I cut off the piece of linejust above the knot and let it fall into the water to extricate itself,while I went back to the office to have a few words with my uncles aboutwhat I had heard.

  "I think we are in duty bound to send you home, Cob," said Uncle Jack,and the others murmured their acquiescence.

  "Send me home!" I cried. "What! Just when all the fun is going tobegin!"

  "Fun!" said Uncle Dick, "Fun that the frogs suffered when the boysstoned them, eh?"

  "Oh, but you know what I mean, uncle. I don't want to go."

  "But we have run you into terrible risks already," cried Uncle Bob, "andif you were hurt I should feel as if I could never face your father andmother again."

  "Oh, but I sha'n't be hurt," I cried. "There, I'm ready for anything,and shall always try to g
et on the safe side."

  "As you always do," said Uncle Jack grimly. "No, my boy, you must notstay. It is evident from what you overheard that the men have somedesign against us on hand. Above all, they have taken a great disliketo you, and in their blind belief that you are one of the causes oftheir trouble they evidently feel spiteful and will not shrink fromdoing you harm. And that's rather a long-winded speech," he added,smiling.

  "Can't we make them see that we are working for them instead of againstthem?" said Uncle Dick.

  "No," said Uncle Bob. "No one can teach prejudiced workmen. The lightcomes to them some day, but it takes a long time to get through theirdense brains. I think Cob must go."

  "Oh! Uncle Bob," I exclaimed.

  "I can't help it," my lad. "There seems to be no help for it. I shallregret it horribly, for your uncles are very poor company."

  "Thankye," said Uncle Dick.

  "Nice remark from the most stupid of three brothers," grumbled UncleJack.

  "But you ought not to be exposed to these risks," continued Uncle Bob,"and now that by your own showing there is something worse on the way."

  "Oh, it can't be worse than it has been; and besides, the men said I wasalways the first to find anything out. You see I have this time--again."

  "Yes, with a vengeance," said Uncle Jack.

  "And I'm sure you can't spare me."

  "No, we can ill spare you, Cob," said Uncle Dick, "but we should not bedoing our duty if we kept you here."

  "Now, uncle," I cried, "I believe if I went home--though, of course,they would be very glad to see me--my father would say I ought to beashamed of myself for leaving you three in the lurch."

  "Look here! Look here! Look here!" cried Uncle Bob. "We can't sithere and be dictated to by this boy. He has run risks enough, and hehad better go back to them at once."

  "Oh, you see if I would have said a word if I had known that you wouldhave served me like this!" I cried angrily. "Anyone would think I wasa schoolgirl."

  "Instead of a man of sixteen," said Uncle Bob.

  "Never mind," I cried, "you were sixteen once, Uncle Bob."

  "Quite right, my boy, so I was, and a conceited young rascal I was,almost as cocky as you are."

  "Thank you, uncle."

  "Only I had not been so spoiled by three easy-going, good-natureduncles, who have made you think that you are quite a man."

  "Thank you, uncle," I said again, meaning to be very sarcastic.

  "Instead of a soft stripling full of sap."

  "And not fit to stand against the blows of oak cudgels and the injuredArrowfield workmen," said Uncle Dick.

  "Oh, all right! Banter away," I said. "I don't mind. I shall growolder and stronger and more manly, I hope."

  "Exactly," said Uncle Jack; "and that's what we are aiming at for you,my lad. We don't want to see you scorched by an explosion, or hurt byblows, or made nervous by some horrible shock."

  "I don't want to be hurt, of course," I said, "and I'm not at all brave.I was terribly frightened when I found the powder canister, and when Ifell in the wheel-pit. I believe I was alarmed when I heard the mentalking about what they were going to do; but I should be ashamed ofmyself, after going through so much, if I ran away, as they said youthree would do."

  "How was that?" cried Uncle Bob.

  "With your tails between your legs, regularly frightened away likecurs."

  "They may carry us to the hospital without a leg to stand upon, or takeus somewhere else without heads to think, but they will not see usrunning away in such a fashion as that," quoth Uncle Dick.

  "Boy," said Uncle Jack, in his sternest way, "I would give anything tokeep you with us, but I feel as if it has been a lapse of duty towardsyou to let you run these risks."

  "But suppose I had been made a midshipman, uncle," I argued, "I shouldhave always been running the risks of the sea, and the foreign climatewhere I was sent, and of being killed or wounded by the enemy."

  "If there was war," suggested Uncle Bob.

  "Yes, uncle, if there was war."

  "Cob, my lad," said Uncle Dick, "that's a strong argument, but it doesnot convince us. Your Uncle Jack speaks my feelings exactly. I wouldgive anything to keep you with us, for your young elastic nature seemsto send off or radiate something brightening on to ours; and, now thatyou are going away, I tell you frankly that your courage has oftenencouraged us."

  "Has it, uncle?" I cried.

  "Often, my lad."

  "Ay that it has," said Uncle Jack. "I've often felt down-hearted andready to throw up our adventure; but I've seen you so fresh and eager,and so ready to fight it out, that I've said to myself--If a boy likethat is ready to go on it would be a shame for a man to shrink."

  "Yes," said Uncle Bob, "I confess to the same feeling."

  "Well, that is shabby," I cried.

  "What is, boy?" said Uncle Jack.

  "To send me off like this. Why, you'll all break down without me."

  "No, no; that does not follow," said Uncle Bob.

  "Ah, won't it! You'll see," I said.

  "Look here, Cob, be reasonable," exclaimed Uncle Jack, walking up anddown the room in a very excited way. "You see, ever since you were bornwe've made a sort of playmate of you, and since you grew older, and havebeen down here with us, you know we have not treated you as if you werea boy."

  "Well, no, uncle, I suppose you have not."

  "We have talked with you, consulted with you, and generally behavedtowards you as if you were a young man."

  "And now all at once you turn round and punish me by treating me as if Iwere a little boy."

  "No, no, my lad; be reasonable. We have been consulting together."

  "Without me."

  "Yes, without you; because we felt that we were not doing you justice--that we were not behaving as good brothers to your mother, in lettingyou go on sharing these risks."

  "But there may be no more, uncle."

  "But there will be a great many more, my boy," said Uncle Jack solemnly;"and what would our feelings be if some serious accident were to happento you?"

  "Just the same, Uncle Jack," I cried, "as mine would be, and my father'sand mother's, if some accident were to happen to you."

  Uncle Jack wrinkled up his broad forehead, stared hard at me, and then,in a half-angry, half amused way, he went to the table, took up animaginary piece of soap and began to rub it in his palms.

  "I wash my hands of this fellow, boys," he said. "Dick, you are theoldest; take him in hand, dress him down, give him sixpence to buyhardbake and lollipops, and send him about his business."

  "Make it half-a-crown, uncle," I cried, with my cheeks burning withanger; "and then you might buy me a toy-horse too--one with red wafersall over it, and a rabbit-skin tail."

  "My dear Cob," said Uncle Jack, "why will you be so wilfully blind towhat is good for you?"

  My cheeks grew hotter, and if I had been alone I should have burst intoa passion of tears, but I could not do such a thing then, when I wantedto prove to these three that I was fit to be trusted and too old to besent home.

  "We do not come to this conclusion without having carefully thought itout, boy," cried Uncle Bob.

  "Very well, then!" I cried, almost beside myself with passion.

  "Confess now," said Uncle Bob; "haven't you often felt very much alarmedat having to keep watch of a night in that lonely factory?"

  "Of course I have."

  "And wished yourself at home?" said Uncle Dick.

  "Scores of times, uncle."

  "Well, then, now we wish you to go, feeling that it is best for you, andyou turn restive as that jackass we hired for you to ride down inEssex."

  "Haven't you three fellows been teaching me ever since I was a littletot, to try and be a man?"

  "Yes," said Uncle Dick.

  "When I've tumbled down and knocked the skin off my knees haven't yousaid `don't cry: be a man!'"

  "Oh yes! Guilty!" said Uncle Dick.

  "If
I fell out of the swing didn't you hold your cool hand to the greatlump on my head and tell me that I must try to bear it without howling:like a man?"

  "Yes, boy, yes."

  "And when I broke my arm, after getting up the rock after the gulls'eggs, didn't you tell me about the Spartan boys?"

  "I did, Cob, I did."

  "Yes, of course you did," I cried indignantly. "You were all threealike: always teaching me to bear pain and be courageous, and master mynatural cowardice and be a man. Now didn't you?"

  "Ay, ay, ay! Captain Cob," they chorused.

  "And here," I cried passionately, "after fighting all these years andmaking myself miserable so as to do exactly what you all taught me, nowthat there is a chance of showing that I know my lesson and have donewell, you all treat me like a mollycoddle, and say to me by your looks:`you're a poor cowardly little cub; go home to your mother and benursed.'"

  "Have you done with the soap?" said Uncle Dick, turning to Uncle Jack,as I stood there, feeling angry, passionate, excited, and carried out ofmyself.

  "Eh?" said Uncle Jack staring.

  "I say, have you done with the metaphorical soap? I want to wash myhands of him too."

  "It's too bad, uncle," I cried.

  "Here, Bob," said Uncle Dick in his grim way, "you take him in hand."

  "No, thank you," said Uncle Bob. "I'll trouble you for the soap whenyou've done."

  "And now," I cried, speaking to them as I had never done before, "youmake worse of it by laughing at me."

  "No, no," cried Uncle Dick; "we were not laughing at you, but we donow;" and starting with a tremendous "Ha-ha-ha!" the others joined in,and I stalked out of the parlour and went up to my room, where I set towork, and in about ten minutes had all my belongings carefully packed inmy little carpet-bag--the new one that had been bought for me--and thelittle brass padlock on and locked.

  Just then the parlour door opened as I was looking out of my bed-roomwindow at the smoke and glow over the town, and thinking that after allI liked the noise and dirt and busy toil always going on, knowing, as Idid, how much it had to do with the greatness of our land.

  "Cob!" came up Uncle Dick's big voice.

  "Yes, uncle," I said quietly.

  "Tea's ready."

  "I don't want any tea," I said.

  "Yes, you do, lad. Fried ham and eggs."

  "Come," I said to myself, "I'll let them see that I can behave like aman. Perhaps I shall have to go home by the last train to-night or thefirst in the morning. Poor old Piter," I thought, "I should like tohave taken you!"

  So I went down quite coolly and walked into the parlour, where my uncleswere waiting for me before seating themselves at the table.

  That touched me; it was so full of consideration and respect for the boythey were going to send away.

  Plump, comfortable Mrs Stephenson was just ready to take off the brighttin dish-cover, and as she did so there was a perfect pile of fried hamand eggs, looking brown and white and pink and orange, and emitting amost appetising odour.

  "Is Mr Jacob a bit sadly, gentlemen?" said Mrs Stephenson, looking atme with interest.

  "Oh no," I said quickly; and a bit touched too by Mrs Stephenson'srespectful way and the _Mr_ "Only tired. I shall be all right whenI've had my tea."

  "That's bonnie," she cried nodding. "I'd better butter a couple morecakes, hadn't I, gentlemen?"

  "That you had," said Uncle Bob. "Let's eat well, or we shall never beable to fight it out with your fellow-townsmen."

  "Ah, deary me, gentlemen," she cried; "it's sore work, that it is! I'msure if they only knew what I do they'd behave better to you. Themtrades is doing more harm than good."

  She bustled out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed UncleDick turned to me.

  "Shake hands, Cob, my boy," he said.

  I held mine out frankly, for I had had my say, and I was determined toshow them that I could act like a man.

  "Now with me," said Uncle Jack in his hard stern way.

  "And with me," said Uncle Bob.

  I shook hands all round; but in spite of every effort my lip wouldquiver, and I had to bite it hard to keep down the emotion I felt.

  "Shall I speak?" said Uncle Jack.

  Uncle Dick nodded.

  "Why not wait till after tea?" said Uncle Bob.

  "No, I shall tell him now," said Uncle Jack grimly. "I'm hungry, and wemay as well spoil his tea and get his share, for he will not be able toeat after what I've said. Cob, my lad, we've been talking this overagain very seriously."

  "All right, uncle!" I said quietly. "I'm quite ready to go. I'vepacked up, but I'd rather go to-morrow morning. I want to go and shakehands with Pannell and bid Piter `good-bye.'"

  "You have packed up?" he said rather sternly.

  "Yes, uncle."

  "Did you do that in a fit of passion or sulks?"

  "No," I said sharply; "but because I wanted to show you to the very lastthat I had not forgotten what you taught me about self-denial and allthat."

  "God bless you, my lad!" he cried, hurting me horribly as he shook handsexceedingly hard. "I'm glad to hear you say that, for we've been sayingthat if we want to win in this fight we can't afford to part with onequarter of the Company. Cob, my lad, we want you to stay."

  "Uncle!" I cried.

  "Yes, my lad, you are older in some things than your years, and thoughI'd do anything rather than run risks for you, I do feel that with righton our side, please God, we shall win yet, and that it would be cowardlyfor us even to let you turn tail."

  I don't know what I should have said and done then, as Uncle Jackexclaimed:

  "Have I said right, Dick, Bob?"

  "Yes, quite," said Uncle Dick warmly; "and for my part--"

  "Hush! Sit down," cried Uncle Bob, hastily setting the example so as toend the scene. "Yes, two eggs, please. Quick, here's Mrs Stephensoncoming with the cakes."