Part 87 (1/2)
”What a storm, my dear!” she said
”You up?”
”Oh yes, my dear; it was impossible to lie I've lit the kitchen fire, for poor cook is in hysterics, and Maria is sobbing and crying--quite helpless”
”How silly!” muttered Tom ”Where's uncle?”
”Here I am Ready?”
For Uncle Richard appeared with a ready-lit lantern and the keys
”We shall have to go out by the front door, Tom; the wind's worse on the other side of the house”
”I'm ready, uncle”
”Pray take care, sir,” said Mrs Fidler ”If one of the sails of thatabout?”
”What indeed, Mrs Fidler! Be ready to close the door after us, for the wind has tre, Tom”
He led the way, opened the door, and the wind rushed in, banging others, setting pictures swinging, whisking a couple of hats off their pegs, and rushi+ng up into the house with a roar
Mrs Fidler strove to close the door as they passed out, but failed, and To the door to
Outside, the evergreens were beaten down, and the loose strands of the different creepers were flogging wall and trellis-work in a hich forbode destruction to both tree and trellis Twice over Toet his breath, and in the darkness he could see the ornarass; while from a short distance ahere the pine-wood co a storale the reseate To hard, had again to turn his back before he could get his breath; while as the gate was reached, another blast caught the lantern, swung it against the post, the glass was broken, and _puff_, the light went out
”We o back,” said Uncle Richard, with his lips close to Toht; there's a box of matches in the table-drawer up-stairs”
They pushed on, Toate, which was nearly torn from his hand, while, as they ascended to the mill, the wind caet, to the door
”It is terrible,” panted Uncle Richard, as soon as they were inside with the door closed, and the wind shrieking and roaring around the tall building as if seeking to sweep it away
They mounted in profound darkness to the laboratory, where the matches were found, and all the ti lifted a few inches everyof the wind, and the rattling and banging of the ork in the observatory, sounded oer to the work of many, rimly, as the lantern was lit, and the broken pane replaced by the covers torn from an old book just about the size
”Yes, quite,” replied Tom ”Come on”
He stepped quickly to the ladder-like stairs, sprang up, threw open the trap-door, and was about to enter the roo back upon him violently
”Hurt?” shouted Uncle Richard
”Yes; not ain, he forced it back, and, aware now of the danger, held it firot up; and then, while his uncle folloith the light, closing it again directly and securing it with a bolt
Toht of the lantern was thrown upon the great telescope, for fear that it should have ht the top was directed right away froave evidence of its loose state by yielding to the pressure of the wind, and giving a tre