"Yes, in Mr Maxted's cart."

"Did it fall over?"

"Yes, right over, down the slope from top to bottom."

"And him in it, sir?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll forgive him, and young Mr Sam Brandon too. My word, sir, I'd ha' give something to ha' been there to see."

"But he must have hurt himself, David."

"What there, sir? Tchah! that sand's as soft as silk. Wouldn't like to come and help fetch the chair, sir?"

"Yes, I should, David; I should like the ride."

"Then come on, sir, and we'll go round the other way from the Vicarage gates. Right from top to bottom, eh, sir? Well, I would have give something to ha' been there to see."

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Uncle Richard, as he finished his inspection of the bath-chair just taken out of the Vicar's cart. "See that the carrier calls for it, David, to take it back to Guildford; and you, Tom, write for me to the man it was hired from, pointing out that we have had an accident, and tell him to send in his bill."

"And it'll be a big 'un, Master Tom," said David, chuckling and rubbing his hands as soon as his master was out of hearing. "My word, it's got it, and no mistake. One wheel right off, the front all twissen, and the axle-tree bent. It'll be like making a new 'un. Tck!"

"You wouldn't laugh like that, David, if you'd got it to pay for," said Tom.

"True for you, Master Tom; but I wasn't laughing at the ravage, but at the idee of your uncle, who creeps about thinking he's very bad when he arn't thinking o' nothing else, going spinning down the hill, and steering hisself right into the old sand-pit."

"And I don't see that you have anything to laugh at in that," said Tom stiffly.

"More don't I, Master Tom, but I keep on laughing all the more, and can't help it. Now if he had been very badly, I don't think I could ha'

done it."

"My uncle is very ill, and came down here for the benefit of his health," said Tom sternly.

"Then your nursing, Master Tom, and my vegetables and fruit's done him a lot o' good, for the way he walked home after being spilt did us a lot o' credit. I couldn't ha' walked better."

Tom thought the same, though he would not say so, but helped the gardener place the wrecked chair in the coach-house, and then found his uncle coming that way.

"Get the wheelbarrow, Tom," he said, "and we'll take the new discs of gla.s.s into the workshop."

"And begin again, uncle?" cried Tom excitedly.

"What, are you ready to go through all that labour again?"

"Ready, uncle?" cried the boy reproachfully. "Why, all the while Uncle James has been down here it has seemed to be like so much waste of time."

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Uncle Richard; "then we must work over hours to win back the loss. Help him on with the case carefully, David, and I'll go first to open the door."

"Say, Master Tom," said the gardener, "ain't it more waste o' time to go gla.s.s-grinding and making contrapshums like this? Hey, but it's precious heavy," he continued, as he helped to lift one end of the case on to the long barrow.

"Waste of time to make scientific instruments?" cried Tom.

"Ay. What's the good on it when it's done?"

"To look at the sun, moon, and stars, to be sure."

"Well, you can do that without tallow-scoops, sir; and you take my advice, don't you get looking at the sun through none o' them things, sir. Hey, but it be a weight!" he continued, raising the handles of the barrow.

"Never mind; I can manage it," cried Tom.

"Then I arn't going to let you, sir."

"Why not?"

"'Cause my muskles is hard and yours is soft, and may get stretched and strained. Hold that there door back. It's all up-hill, you know; master never thought o' that."

David wheeled the heavy case up to the door of the old mill, helped to carry the case in, and then in a whisper said--

"Let's have a look at him when you've done, Master Tom."

"Look at whom?" said the boy wonderingly.

"Man in the moon," replied David, with a chuckle, as he trotted back with the barrow, and Uncle Richard came down from the observatory to take out the screws and unpack the two discs.

Within an hour they were at work again, and day after day pa.s.sed--wasted days, David said.

"Master and you had a deal better set to work and build me a vinery to grow some more grapes," he grumbled; but Tom laughed, and the speculum gradually began to a.s.sume its proper form.

There had only been one brief letter in answer to two sent making inquiries, and this letter said that Uncle James was much better, and regularly attending the office.

"My vegetables," said David, when he was told. "Nothing like 'em, and plenty o' fresh air, Master Tom, to set a man right. But just you come and look here."

He led the way down the garden to where, the Marie Louise pear-tree spread its long branches upon the wall, each laden with the soft green fruit hanging to the long thin stalks, which looked too fragile to bear so great a weight.

"Pears?" said Tom. "Yes, I was looking at them yesterday, and thinking how good they must be."

"Nay, but they am't, Master Tom; that's just it. If you was to pick one o' they--which would be a sin, sir--and stick your teeth into it, you'd find it hard and tasting sappy like chewed leaves."

"Why I thought they were ripe."

"Nay, not them, sir. You want to take a pear, sir, just at the right moment."

"And when is the right moment for a pear?"