Part 58 (1/2)
”What! About the outrages?” said Uncle d.i.c.k firmly.
”Outrages, mester!”
”Well, the attempts to blow us up.”
”Ay!--the trade business. Did I ivver come and say word to anny of you?”
”Never.”
”Or to yow, youngster?”
”Never, Pannell. You always went against us,” I said, ”when a word from you would--”
”Theer, that'll do. Tell me this--Did I ivver tell on anny on 'em?”
”No; you have always been true to your party, Pannell--if that is what you mean.”
”And that is what I mean,” said the great fellow, throwing his head about and jerking out his words, each with a menacing flourish of the hammer or a mock blow, as if they were steel words that he wanted to strike into shape.
”n.o.body accused you of tale-bearing to us,” said Uncle d.i.c.k.
”Didn't they, mester?” he roared. ”What's this, then, and this, and this?”
He touched the scars upon his head and brow, and the sticking-plaster left on.
”Don't you call that saying I telled on 'em, wi'out the poother in my forge this morning?”
”A cowardly brutal thing to have done, my man.”
”Ay, so 'twas. I'd done nowt but be civil to young mester here. Say,”
he cried fiercely, ”yow telled 'em I forged that trap!” and he turned on me.
”Oh, Pannell!” I cried, flus.h.i.+ng indignantly.
That was all I said, but it was enough.
”Beg pardon, young gentleman!--yow didn't, I can see that. Nay, it was the altogetherishness o' the whole thing. They set me down--me, a mate in the union--as hevvin' telled on 'em and gone agen 'em, and being friends wi' the mesters; and yow see what they've done.”
”Indeed we do, Pannell--”
”Howd hard, mester,” said the big smith, flouris.h.i.+ng about his hammer.
”I hevn't had my spell yet. I want to speak.”
Uncle d.i.c.k nodded, as much as to say, ”Go on.”
”Look here, then, mesters--I've thowt this out. It's cowards' business, ivvery bit on it, 'cept Matt Stivvins this morning coming and fetching young mester out of the way.”
”Yes,” I said, ”he did.”