Part 62 (1/2)
”I daresay we're wrong, Joe,” said Gwyn; and the dog uttered another growl which sounded wonderfully like the word ”_Bah_!”
”Yes, sir, wrong you are; and seeing how scarce work is, and so many mines not going, you won't mind putting a word in for me to the Colonel and the Major.”
”What for? What about?” said Gwyn, sharply. ”Your character?”
”Nay, sir, I don't want no character. Sam Hardock says the mine's rich, and I want to stay on. You say the right word to the Colonel, and he'll keep me on.”
”I don't feel as if I could, Dina.s.s,” said Gwyn, thoughtfully.
”Not just this minute, sir,” said the man, humbly; ”but if you think about it, and how hard it is for a man to lose his bread for a thing like that, you'll feel different about it. Do try, sir, please. I'm a useful man, and you'll want me; and I'll never forget it if you do.”
”Well,” said Gwyn, ”I'll think about it; but if I do ask my father, he may not listen to me.”
”Oh, yes, he will, sir; he'd do anything you asked him; and so would yours, Master Joe. Do, please, gentlemen, and very thankful I'll be.”
”Come along, Joe,” said Gwyn.
”And you will speak a word for me, sir--both of you?”
”I'll see,” said Joe; and with Grip trotting softly behind them, the two lads hurried off.
”You won't ask for him to stay, Ydoll?” said Joe, earnestly, as soon as they were out of earshot.
”Why not? Perhaps we're misjudging him after all.”
”But I never liked him,” said Joe.
”Well I didn't, and I don't; but that's no reason why we should be unfair. He isn't a pleasant fellow, and n.o.body seems to take to him; I believe he is right about all the men being set against him.”
”Well, then, it's right for him to go.”
”Oh, I say, Jolly, don't be hard and unfair on a fellow. One ought to stick up for the weaker side. Let's go and see if father's in the office.”
”And you are going to speak for him?”
”Yes; and so are you;” and Gwyn led the way to the new mine buildings where the carpenters and masons were still busy, pa.s.sing the shaft where the pump was steadily at work, but going very slowly, for there was very little water to keep down.
As the boys approached the doorway they saw Hardock come out and go on to the mine, while on entering they found the Colonel and the Major examining a rough statement drawn up by the captain who had just left.
”Well, boys,” said Major Jollivet, ”have you come in to hear about it?”
”No,” said Gwyn, staring; ”about what, sir?”
”The venture, my boy. Hardock reports that the mine is very rich in ore, and that we have entered upon a very good speculation.”
”Yes, that is so, Gwyn,” said his father; ”and we are going to begin work in real earnest now--I mean, begin raising ore; and we must engage more men. Well; you were going to say something.”
”Yes, father,” said Gwyn, rus.h.i.+ng into his subject at once. ”We have just seen Dina.s.s.”
”Yes,” said the Colonel, frowning; ”he goes in about ten days, and we want someone in his place. What about him?”