Part 17 (1/2)

Andrews, the mother of this lad, wished me to say that she would pay the charges when you have done with them; but as if it hadn't been for them the works would have been burnt down as sure as you are standing there, I expect the firm will take the matter in their own hands.”

”Yes, they are nasty burns,” the doctor said, examining the boys'

hands. ”Can you open and shut them, boy?”

”I think I could if tried, sir,” George said, ”but I shouldn't like to try, for if I move my fingers at all it hurts them awfully.”

”I see you have had oil and cotton-wool on your hands.”

”Yes.”

”The best thing you can do, boys, is to put on some soothing poultices. Tell your mother to get some linseed and mix it with olive-oil. I will give you a bottle of laudanum. Let her put about twenty drops of that into the oil before she mixes it with the linseed. Every four or five hours change the poultices. I think you will find that will relieve the pain a good deal. I see your faces are scorched too. You can do nothing better than keep them moistened with sweet-oil. I should advise you to keep as quiet as possible for three or four days.”

”But we shall want to get to work, sir,” George said.

”Nonsense! You will be very lucky if you can use your hands in another fortnight. I will send in the usual certificate to the works.”

”Will you tell the foreman, Bob,” George said when they left the doctor's, ”how it is we can't come to work? You tell him we wanted to, and that we hope to come back as soon as our hands are all right; because, you see, the men and boys at the shops which have been burnt down will be all out of work, and it would be awful if we found our places filled up when we went to work again.”

”Don't you be afraid, George; there is no fear of your being out of work after what you have done.”

”Well, what did the doctor say?” was Mrs. Andrews' first question when they returned home.

”He didn't say much, mother, except that we must not think of going to work for a fortnight anyhow, and we are to have poultices made with linseed mixed with oil, and twenty drops of laudanum from this bottle, and it must be put on fresh every three or four hours. I am afraid it will be an awful trouble.”

”The trouble won't matter,” Mrs. Andrews said brightly. ”Did he say you were to go to bed?”

”No, mother; but we were to keep as quiet as we could.”

”Then in that case, George, I think you had better go to bed.”

”No; I am sure we had better not,” George said. ”I should toss and fidget about there horridly. The best thing will be for us to sit here, and then we shall be all together. And if you talk to us, and perhaps read to us, we shan't feel it half so much. What are you going to do, mother?” he asked five minutes afterwards, as Mrs. Andrews came down with her bonnet on.

”I am going to get some linseed, George, of course. I haven't got any in the house.”

”But it's Sunday, mother, and the shops will be shut.”

”I shall get it at the chemist's, George. They will always supply things that are needed even on Sunday. People are ill on Sunday as well as any other day, you know. I shan't be gone more than a quarter of an hour. You must keep very quiet till I come back.”

The boys found a good deal of relief from the effect of the poultices, and were very much better after a good night's rest. At ten o'clock the next morning, as Mrs. Andrews was sitting at her work, with the boys both on the hearthrug in front of the fire, there was a knock at the door. It was a loud double knock, quite unlike the ordinary summons of the baker's boy, who was the only regular caller. The boys jumped up in surprise.

”Who can that be, mother?”

”We shall soon see,” Mrs. Andrews said quietly.

She was not surprised, on opening the door, to see a gentleman standing there, whom, by the description the boys had given of him, she guessed to be their employer. A little girl was standing by his side.

”Is this Mrs. Andrews?” the gentleman asked.

”I am Mrs. Andrews,” the lady answered quietly.

”My name is Penrose. I have called with my daughter to inquire after the two lads--one of them your son, I believe--who so gallantly saved my place from being burned down on Sat.u.r.day evening. I only heard about it late yesterday evening, when I came down to arrange about some matters with the foreman. He did not know the facts of the case on Sat.u.r.day night, but had learned them yesterday, and there can be no doubt whatever, from what he says, that had it not been for the presence of mind and bravery of these two lads nothing could have saved the entire works and all the wood piles from destruction. I told my daughter this morning, and she insisted on coming down with me. You know she is already indebted to your son for saving a locket which we both greatly valued.”