CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
I START FOR A WALK.
"Who's for a walk?" said Uncle Dick one morning. "I'm going up thehills to the millstone-grit quarry."
I started, and my heart gave a throb, but I did not look up.
"I can't go," said Uncle Jack.
"And I'm busy," said Uncle Bob.
"Then I shall have to put up with Cob," said Uncle Dick gloomily. "Willyou come, my lad?"
"Will I come!" I cried, jumping and feeling as if I should like toshout for joy, so delightful seemed the idea of getting away into thehills, and having one of our old walks.
"Well, it must be at mid-day, and you will have to meet me out atRanflitt."
"Two miles on the road?" I said.
"Yes; you be there, and if I'm not waiting I sha'n't be long, and we'llgo on together."
"What time shall I start?" I asked.
"When the men go to their dinner will do. I have some business at thefar end of the town, and it will not be worth while for me to come back.I'll take the other road."
So it was settled, and I took my big stick down to the office, and a netsatchel that was handy for anything when slung from the right shoulderand under my left arm. Before now it had carried fish, partridges,fruits, herbs, roots of plants, and oftener than anything else, lunch.
That seemed to be a long morning, although I wrote hard all the time soas to get a good day's work over first; but at last the dinner-bellrang, and, saying good-bye to the others, I slipped the satchel into mypocket, took my stick, and started.
We had not thought of those who would be loitering about during theirdinner-hour, but I soon found that they were thinking of me, for notonly were our own men about the streets, but the men of the many otherworks around; and to my dismay I soon found that they all knew me bysight, and that they were ready to take notice of me in a veryunpleasant way.
I was walking steadily on when a stone hit me in the leg, and instead ofmaking haste and getting out of range, I stopped short and looked roundangrily for my assailant.
I could see a dozen grinning faces, but it was of course impossible totell who threw, and before I turned back an oyster-shell struck me inthe back.
I turned round angrily and found myself the object of a tremendous shoutof laughter.
Almost at the same moment I was struck by an old cabbage-stump and by apotato, while stones in plenty flew by my head.
"The cowards!" I said to myself as I strode on, looking to right andleft, and seeing that on both sides of the way a number of rough boyswere collecting, encouraged by the laughter and cheers of their elders.
We had not a single boy at our works, but I could see several of our menwere joining in the sport, to them, of having me hunted.
To have a good hunt, though, it is necessary to have a good quarry, thatis to say, the object hunted must be something that will run.
Now, in imagination I saw myself rushing away pursued by a mob of lads,hooting, yelling, and pelting me; but I felt not the slightestinclination to be hunted in this fashion, and hence it was that I walkedsteadily and watchfully on, stick in hand, and prepared to use it too,if the necessity arose.
Unfortunately I was in a road where missiles were plentiful, and thesecame flying about me, one every now and then giving me such a stingingblow that I winced with pain. The boys danced round me, too, comingnearer as they grew bolder from my non-resistance, and before long theybegan to make rushes, hooting and yelling to startle me, no doubt, intorunning away.
But so far they did not succeed; and as I continued my walking theychanged their tactics, keeping out of reach of my stout stick, andtaking to stones and anything that came to hand.
I could do nothing. To have turned round would only have been toreceive the objects thrown in my face; and when at last, stung intoaction by a harder blow than usual, I did turn and make a rush at theboy I believed to have thrown, he gave way and the others opened out tolet me pass, and then closed up and followed.
It was a foolish movement on my part, and I found I had lost ground, forto get on my way again I had to pass through a body of about a dozenlads, and the only way to do this as they gathered themselves ready toreceive me, was by making a bold rush through them.
They were already whispering together, and one of them cried "Now!" whenI made a rush at them, stick in hand, running as fast as I could.
They made a show of stopping me, but opened out directly, and as soon asI had passed yelled to their companions to come on, with the result thatI found I could not stop unless I stood at bay, and that I was doing thevery thing I had determined not to do--racing away from my pursuers,who, in a pack of about forty, were yelling, crying, and in full chase.
To stop now was impossible: all that was open to me was to run hard andget into the more open suburb, leaving them behind, while I had thesatisfaction of knowing that before long the bells at the differentworks would be ringing, and the young vagabonds obliged to hurry back totheir places, leaving me free to maintain my course.
So that, now I was involuntarily started, I determined to leave mypursuers behind, and I ran.
I don't think I ever ran so fast before, but fast as I ran I soon foundthat several of the lightly clothed old-looking lads were more than myequals, and they kept so close that some half a dozen were ready to rushin on me at any moment and seize me and drag me back.
I was determined, though, that they should not do that, and, grasping mystick, I ran on, more blindly, though, each moment. 'Tis true, Ithought of making for the outskirts and tiring the boys out; but to mydismay I found that fresh lads kept joining in the chase, all eager anddelighted to have something to run down and buffet, while my breath wascoming thickly, my heart beat faster and faster, and there was aterrible burning sensation in my chest.
I looked to right for some means of escape, but there was none; to leftwas the same; behind me the tolling pack; while before me stretched thelanes, and mill after mill with great dams beyond them similar to ours.
I should have stopped at bay, hoping by facing the lads to keep themoff; but I was streaming with perspiration, and so weak that I knew, inspite of my excitement, that I should hardly be able to lift my arm.
On and on, more and more blindly, feeling moment by moment as if myaching legs would give way beneath me. I gazed wildly at my pursuers toask for a little mercy, but unfortunately for me they, excited and hotwith their chase, were as cruel as boys can be, and men too at such atime.
There was nothing for it but to rush on at a pace that was fastdegenerating into a staggering trot, and in imagination, as the boyspushed me and buffeted me with their caps, I saw myself tripped up,thrown down, kicked, and rolled in the dust, and so much exhausted thatI could not help myself.
One chance gave me a little more energy. It must be nearly time for thebells to ring, and then they would be bound to give up the pursuit; butas I struggled I caught sight of a clock, and saw that it wanted aquarter of an hour yet.
There were some men lounging against a wall, and I cried out to them,but they hardly turned their heads, and as I was hurried and driven by Isaw that they only laughed as if this were excellent sport.
Next we passed a couple of well-dressed ladies, but they fled into agateway to avoid my pursuers, and the next minute I was hustled round acorner, the centre of the whooping, laughing crowd, and, to my horror, Ifound that we were in a narrow path with a row of stone cottages on oneside, the wall of a dam like our own, and only a few inches above thewater on the other.
I had felt dazed and confused before. Now I saw my danger clearlyenough and the object of the lads.
I was streaming with perspiration, and so weak that I could hardlystand, but, to avoid being thrust in, and perhaps held under water andducked and buffeted over and over again, I felt that I must make aplunge and try and swim to the other side.
But I dared not attempt it, even if I could have got clear; and blindlystruggling on I had about reached the middle of the dam path whe
n a footwas thrust out, and I fell.
Sobbing for my breath, beaten with fists, buffeted and blinded with theblows of the young savages' caps, I struggled to my feet once more, butonly to be tripped and to fall again on the rough stony path.
I could do no more. I had no strength to move, but I could thinkacutely, and feel, as I longed for the strength of Uncle Jack, and tohold in my hand a good stout but limber cane.
Yes, I could feel plainly enough the young ruffians dragging at me, andin their eagerness and number fighting one against the other.
"In wi' him!"
"Dook him, lads!"
"Now, then, all together!"
I heard all these cries mingled together, and mixed up with the busyhands and faces, I seemed to see the row of houses, the clear sky, thewaters of the dam, and Gentles the grinder leaning against a door andlooking on.
I was being lifted amidst shouts and laughter, and I knew that the nextmoment I should be in the dam, when there was a tremendous splash, andsome drops of water sprinkled my face.
Then there was the rattle of the handle of a bucket, and another splashheard above all the yelling and shouting of the boys. There was thehollow sound of a pail banged against something hard, and mingled withcries, shouts, laughter, and ejaculations of pain I felt myself fallupon the path, to be kicked and trampled on by someone contending, forthere were slaps, and thuds, and blows, the panting and hissing ofbreath; and then the clanging of bells near and bells far, buzzing inears, the rush and scuffling of feet, with shouts of derision, defiance,and laughter, and then, last of all, a curious cloud of mist seemed toclose me in like the fog on the Dome Tor, and out of this a shrill angryvoice cried:
"Ah, ye may shout, but some on ye got it. Go and dry yourselves at thefurnace, you cowardly young shacks. Hey, bud I wish I'd hed holt o' yonstick!"
"Yon stick!" I felt must be mine; but my head was aching, and I seemedto go to sleep.
"I wish you'd be quiet," I remember saying. "Let me be."
"Fetch some more watter, mester," said a pleasant voice, and a roughhand was laid upon my forehead, but only to be taken away again, andthat which had vexed and irritated we went on again, and in a dreamy wayI knew it was a sponge that was being passed over my face.
"I fetched Mester Tom one wi' bottom o' the boocket, and I got one kickat Tom, and when the two boys come home to-night they'll get such aleathering as they never hed before."
"Nay, let 'em be," said a familiar voice.
"Let 'em be! D'ye think I'm going to hev my bairns grow up such shacks?Nay, that I wean't, so yo' may like it or no. I'd be shamed o' my sento stand by and let that pack o' boys half kill the young gentleman likethat."
"I warn't going to stop 'em."
"Not you, mester. Yow'd sooner set 'em on, like you do your mates, andnice things come on it wi' your strikes and powder, and your wife andbairns wi' empty cupboard. Yow on'y let me know o' next meeting, and ifI don't come and give the men a bit o' my mind, my name arn't JaneGentles."
"Yow'd best keep thy tongue still."
"Mebbe you think so, my man, but I don't."
My senses had come back, and I was staring about at the clean kitchen Iwas in, with carefully blackleaded grate and red-brick floor. Againstthe open door, looking out upon the dam, and smoking his pipe, stood--there was no mistaking him--our late man, Gentles; while over me with asponge in her hand, and a basin of water by her on a chair, was a bigbroad-shouldered woman with great bare arms and a pleasant homely face,whose dark hair was neatly kept and streaked with grey.
She saw that I was coming to, and smiled down at me, showing a set ofvery white teeth, and her plump face looked motherly and pleasant as shebent down and laid her hand upon my forehead.
"That's bonny," she said, nodding her head at me. "You lie still a bitand I'll mak you a cup o' tea, and yo'll be aw reight again. I'm glad Icaught 'em at it. Some on 'em's going to hev sore bones for that job,and so I tell 'em."
I took her hand and held it in mine, feeling very weak and dreamy still,and I saw Gentles shift round and give me a hasty glance, and then twisthimself more round with his back to me.
"Howd up a minute," she said, passing one strong arm under me andlifting me as if I had been a baby; and almost before I had realised itshe slipped off my jacket and placed a cushion beneath my head.
"There, now, lie still," she said, dabbing my wet hair with a towel."Go to sleep if you can."
By this time she was at the other end of the common print-covered couchon which I lay and unlacing my boots, which she drew off.
"There, now thou'lt be easy, my lad. What would thy poor moother say ifshe saw thee this how?"
I wanted to thank her, but I was too dreamy and exhausted to speak; butI had a strange feeling of dread, and that was, that if I were leftalone with Gentles he would, out of revenge, lay hold of me and throw meinto the dam, and to strengthen my fancy I saw him keep turning his headin a furtive way to glance at me.
"Here," exclaimed the woman sharply, "take these here boots out to theback, mester, and clean 'em while I brush his coat."
"Eh?" said Gentles.
"Tak them boots out and brush 'em. Are yo' deaf?"
"Nay, I'm not going to clean his boots," growled Gentles.
"Not going to clean the bairn's boots!" said the woman sharply; "but Ithink thou art."
She left me, went to the door, took Gentles' pipe from his mouth, andthen thrust the boots under his arm, laying a great hand upon hisshoulder directly after, and seeming to lead him to a door behind me,through which she pushed him, with an order to make haste.
"Yes," she said, tightening her lips, and smiling, as she nodded to me,"I'm mester here, and they hev to mind. Was it thou as set the big trapketched my mester by the leg?"
I never felt more taken aback in my life; but I spoke out boldly, andsaid that it was I.
"And sarve him right. Be a lesson to him. Mixing himself up wi' suchbusiness. I towd him if he crep into people's places o' neets, when heowt to hev been fast asleep i' bed wi' his wife and bairns, he mustreckon on being ketched like a rat. I'd like to knock some o' theirheads together, I would. They're allus feitin' agen the mesters, andgenerally for nowt, and it's ooz as has to suffer."
Mrs Gentles had told me to try and sleep, and she meant well; but therewere two things which, had I been so disposed, would thoroughly haveprevented it, and they were the dread of Gentles doing something to berevenged upon me, and his wife's tongue.
For she went on chattering away to me in the most confidential manner,busying herself all the time in brushing my dusty jacket on a very whitethree-legged table, after giving the cloth a preliminary beatingoutside.
"There," she said, hanging it on a chair; "by and by you shall get upand brush your hair, and I'll give you a brush down, and then with cleanboots you will not be so very much the worse."
She then sat down to some needlework, stitching away busily, and givingme all sorts of information about her family--how she had two boys outat work at Bandy's, taking it for granted that I knew who Bandy's were;that she had her eldest girl in service, and the next helping her auntBetsey, and the other four were at school.
All of which was, no doubt, very interesting to her; but the only partthat took my attention was about her two boys, who had, I knew, fromwhat I overheard, been in the pack that had so cruelly hunted me down.
And all this while I could hear the slow _brush, brush_ at my boots,evidently outside the back-door, and I half expected to have thembrought back ripped, or with something sharp inside to injure me when Iput them on.
At last, after Mrs Gentles had made several allusions to how long "themester" was "wi' they boots," he came in, limping slightly, and afterclosing the door dropped them on the brick floor.
"Why, Sam!" exclaimed Mrs Gentles, "I'd be ashamed o' mysen--that Iwould!"
But Gentles did not seem to be in the slightest degree ashamed ofhimself, but took his pipe from the shelf, where his wife had laid it,struck
a match, relit it, and went off with his hands in his pockets.
Mrs Gentles rose and followed him to the door, and then returned, withher lips tightened and an angry look in her face.
"Now he's gone off to booblic," she said angrily, "to hatch up and messabout and contrive all sorts o' mischief wi' them as leads him on. Ohthe times I've telled him as they might make up all the differ byspending the time in work that they do in striking again' a sixpencetook off or to get one putt on! Ay, but we missuses have but a sorrytime!"
The absence of Gentles' furtive look sent back at me from the doorseemed to change the effect of his wife's voice, which by degrees grewsoothing and soft, and soon after I dropped off asleep, and dreamed of acurious clinking going on, from which dream I awoke, with my headcooler, and Mrs Gentles bending over me and fanning my face with whatlooked like an old copy-book.
I looked at her wonderingly.
"That's better," she said. "Now set up and I'll help thee dress; andhere's a nice cup of tea ready."
"Oh, thank you!" I said. "What time is it?"
"Close upon five, and I thowt you'd be better now after some tea."
She helped me on with my jacket, and I winced with pain, I was so stiffand sore. After this she insisted upon putting on my boots.
"Just as if I heven't done such things hundreds of times," she saidcheerfully. "Why, I used to put on the mester's and tak 'em off all thetime his leg was bad."
"I'm sorry I set that trap," I said, looking up at her rough, pleasantface, and wondering how such a sneaking, malignant fellow could have wonso good a wife.
"I'm not," she said laughing. "It sarved him right, so say no moreabout it."
That tea was like nectar, and seemed to clear my head, so that I feltnearly recovered save when I tried to rise, and then I was in a gooddeal of pain. But I deemed myself equal to going, and was about tostart when I missed my cap.
"Hey, but that'll be gone," she said. "Oh, they boys! Well, yow musthev Dick's."
Before I could protest she went upstairs, and returned with adecent-looking cap, which I promised to return, and then, bidding mySamaritan-like hostess good-bye, I walked firmly out of her sight, andthen literally began to hobble, and was glad as soon as I could get intothe main road to hail one of the town cabs and be driven home, notfeeling strong enough to go to the works and tell of my mishap.
Mr Tomplin came in that evening after Uncle Dick had heard all mynarrative and Uncle Bob had walked up and down the room, driving hisfist into his hand every now and then with a loud _pat_.
We had had a long conversation, in which I had taken part with aterribly aching head, and I should have gone to bed only I would notshow the white feather.
For they all three made this a reason why I should give up to them, andafter all go back.
"You see the men are dead against us, Cob, and the boys follow suit, andare against you." So said Uncle Dick.
"All the men are not against you," I said. "Look at Pannell! He hascome round, and," I added, with a laugh that hurt me horribly, "I shallhave some of the boys come round and help me."
"The young scoundrels!" cried Uncle Bob. _Pat_--that was his fistcoming down into his hand. "The young scoundrels!"
"Well, you've said that twenty times at least, Bob," said Uncle Jack.
"Enough to make me!" said Uncle Bob sharply. "The young scoundrels!"_Pat_.
"I only wish I'd been there with a good handy riding-whip," said UncleJack. "There would have been some wailing among them."
"Yes; and summonses for assault, and all that bother," said Uncle Dick."We don't want to come to blows, Jack, if we can help it."
"They are beyond bearing," cried Uncle Bob, keeping up his walk; "theyoung scoundrels!" _Pat_.
"My dear Bob," cried Uncle Dick, who was very much out of temper; "ifyou would be kind enough to leave off that trot up and down."
"Like a hungry lion," said Uncle Jack.
"In the Zoo," cried Uncle Dick, "you would very much oblige me."
"I can't sit down," said Uncle Bob, thumping his hand. "I feel too muchexcited."
"Then bottle it up for future use," said Uncle Dick. "You really must."
"To attack and hurt the boy in that way! It's scandalous. The youngruffians--the young savages!"
Just then Mr Tomplin came in, looked sharply round, and saw there wassomething wrong.
"I beg your pardon," he said quickly; "I'll look in another time."
"No, no," said Uncle Bob. "Pray sit down. We want your advice. Acruel assault upon our nephew here"--and he related the whole affair.
"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Tomplin, looking hard at me.
"What should you advise--warrants against the ringleaders?"
"Summonses, Mr Robert, I presume," said Mr Tomplin. "But you don'tknow who they were?"
"Yes; oh, yes!" cried Uncle Bob eagerly. "Two young Gentles."
"But you said the mother saved our young friend here from the lads,dowsed them and trounced them with a pail, and made her husband cleanhis boots, while she nursed him and made him tea."
"Ye-es," said Uncle Bob.
"Well, my dear sir, when you get summonses out against boys--a practiceto which I have a very great objection--it is the parents who suffermore than their offspring."
"And serve them right, sir, for bringing their boys up so badly."
"Yes, I suppose so; but boys will be boys," said Mr Tomplin.
"I don't mind their being boys," said Uncle Bob angrily; "what I doobject to is their being young savages. Why, sir, they half-killed mynephew."
"But he has escaped, my dear sir, and, as I understand it, the motherhas threatened to--er--er--leather the boys well, that was, I think, herterm--"
"Yes," I said, rather gleefully, "leather them."
"And judging from the description I have heard of this Amazon-like lady,who makes her husband obey her like a sheep, the young gentlemen's skinswill undergo rather a severe tanning process. Now, don't you think youhad better let the matter stand as it is? And, speaking on the _lextalionis_ principle, our young friend Jacob here ought to be able tohandle his fists, and on the first occasion when he met one of hisenemies he might perhaps give him a thrashing. I don't advise it, forit is illegal, but he might perhaps by accident. It would have a goodeffect."
"But you are always for letting things drop, Mr Tomplin," said UncleBob peevishly.
"Yes; I don't like my friends to go to law--or appeal to the law, as onemay say. I am a lawyer, and I lose by giving such advice, I know."
"Mr Tomplin's right, Bob," said Uncle Jack. "You think of that boy asif he were sugar. I'm sure he does not want to take any steps; do you,Cob?"
"No," I said; "if I may--"
I stopped short.
"May what?"
"Have a few lessons in boxing. I hate fighting; but I should like tothrash that big boy who kept hitting me most."
Patience Wins: War in the Works Page 23