Part 62 (1/2)

She seemed very pleased to see me, and told me that her ”mester” was quite well, only his leg was a little stiff, and that he was at work now with her boys.

The matters seemed now to have taken a sudden turn, as Mr Tomplin said they would: the men were evidently getting over their dislike to us and the new steel, making it up and grinding it in an ill-used, half contemptuous sort of way, and at last the necessity for watching by night seemed so slight that we gave it up.

But it was felt that it would not be wise to give up the air of keeping the place looked after by night, so old Dunning the gate-keeper was consulted, and he knew of the very man--one who had been a night watchman all his life and was now out of work through the failure of the firm by whom he had been employed.

In due time the man came--a tall, very stout fellow, of about sixty, with a fierce look and a presence that was enough to keep away mischief by the fact of its being known that he was there.

He came twice, and was engaged to be on duty every night at nine; and in the conversation that ensued in the office he took rather a gruff, independent tone, which was mingled with contempt as he was told of the attempts that had been made.

”Yes,” he said coolly; ”it's a way the hands have wherever new folk come and don't hev a reg'lar watchman. There wouldn't hev been none of that sort o' thing if I had been here.”

”Then you don't expect any more troubles of this kind?”

”More! Not likely, mester. We've ways of our own down here; and as soon as the lads know that Tom Searby's on as watchman there'll be no more trouble.”

”I hope there will not,” said Uncle d.i.c.k as soon as the man had gone.

”It will be worth all his wages to be able to sleep in peace.”

About this time there had been some talk of my father and mother coming down to Arrowfield, but once more difficulties arose in town which necessitated my father's stay, and as my mother was rather delicate, it was decided that she should not be brought up into the cold north till the springtime came again.

”All work and no play makes--you know the rest,” said Uncle Jack one morning at breakfast. ”I won't say it, because it sounds egotistic.

Cob, what do you say? Let's ask for a holiday.”

”Why not all four go?” I said eagerly; for though the works were very interesting and I enjoyed seeing the work go oil, I was ready enough to get away, and so sure as the sun shone brightly I felt a great longing to be off from the soot and noise to where the great hills were a-bloom with heather and gorse, and tramp where I pleased.

Uncle d.i.c.k shook his head.

”No,” he said; ”two of us stay--two go. You fellows have a run to-day, and we'll take our turn another time.”

We were too busy to waste time, and in high glee away we went, with no special aim in view, only to get out of the town as soon as possible, and off to the hills.

Uncle Jack was a stern, hard man in the works, but as soon as he went out for a holiday he used to take off twenty years, as he said, and leave them at home, so that I seemed to have a big lad of my own age for companion.

It was a glorious morning, and our way lay by the works and then on past a series of ”wheels” up the valley, in fact the same route I had taken that day when I was hunted by the boys.

But I had Uncle Jack by my side, and in addition it was past breakfast time, and the boys were at work.

We had nearly reached the dam into which I had so narrowly escaped a ducking, and I was wondering whether Uncle Jack would mind my just running to speak to the big honest woman in the row of houses we were about to pa.s.s, when he stood still.

”What is it?” I said.

”Cob, my lad,” he cried, ”I want a new head or a new set of brains, or something. I've totally forgotten to ask your Uncle d.i.c.k to write to the engineer about the boiler.”

”Let me run back,” I said.

”Won't do, my boy; must see him myself. There, you keep steadily on along the road as if we were bound for Leads.h.i.+re, and I'll overtake you in less than half an hour.”

”But,” I said, ”I was going this way to meet Uncle d.i.c.k that day when he went to buy the stones, and what a holiday that turned out!”