Part 89 (1/2)

”Could he clith was failing, and after three or four efforts he gave it up, to hang there inert, certain that the rope was nearly undone, and that as soon as his grasp failed upon the thin cord, which could not be long, down he o, fully five-and-twenty feet--a distance which the horror and darkness and agony h it would have been bad enough if half

And all the while the wind raved and roared and tossed hi consciousness; twice over he banged heavily against the wall, though for the allery Then a horrible feeling of sickness attacked him, his hands fell to his sides, his head drooped, but the nextrapidly down; his feet touched the bottoain, and fell at his feet; while by the tiered to the door, round at the other side of the building, trailing the rope after hi his painful chest with his hands, that door was opened, and he staggered into his uncle's arms

”Well done, my brave lad!” cried Uncle Richard in the comparative silence of the workshop; but Tom could not answer

”What is it? You are not hurt?”

There was no reply, only a feeble gasp or two, and in his horror his uncle gave hih shake, but directly after felt in the darkness for the rope, and rapidly untied it

”Speak, my boy, if you can,” cried Uncle Richard then ”You are not hurt?”

”No; I'ht now, I think,” said Torasped at his uncle's arm ”Why didn't you lower me down?” he cried

”I couldn't, boy It was all in the dark, and the rope kept getting wedged by the broken wood I was afraid to use violence for fear of breaking it, or ravelling it through Let me help you back into the house You've saved the roof of the mill”

”Think so?” said Tom huskily

”Yes,the rope into a corner, and re-opening the door

”Think the light's quite out?”

”Yes, certain,” cried Uncle Richard; and banging to and locking the door, he caught hold of Toht now,” said the boy; and they hurried back into the house, securing gates as they went, to find Mrs Fidler looking whiter than ever; and quite tearful as she exclai dreadful had happened Do pray sit down and have a cup of tea, sir”

They did, and with the stor in violence, Tom went up once more to his roo wind, and the sounds which told from time to time of destruction to tile, chimney-pot, or tree

At least he meant to do this, but in ten minutes or so the sound of the wind had lulled hi, to find the storhtly

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

”Thehts froht-and-forty foot, dashed down and slass left”

”That's a bad job, David,” said To about him at the ruin caused by the hurricane; ”but the telescope is all right”

”Yer can't grocu I see as soon as I goes into the little vinery there o big slates off the top o' the house, blowed off like leaves, to go right through the glass, and there they was sticking up edgeways in the vine border”

”Well, only a job for the glazier,” said Toh left in the village to do all the ht in, and all the sucker and lollypop glasses knocked into a lass splinters and stick There's a li pear-tree; lots o' branches teared loose fro bit snapped off the cedar, and that there arby whitey blowed right sidewise It's enough to ardener as has any respect for himself break his 'art”

”Never s straight”

”Will you, Master Tom?”

”Of course I will”