"He's coming to, my dear," said Mrs Fidler. "I think he's coming to."

And now Tom saw that they were lying on the newly-made gra.s.s-plot outside the mill, and that his uncle was being attended by Mrs Fidler and another woman.

He tried to get to him, but the slightest effort made his head swim, and he was fain to lie still and listen, while David went on talking excitedly.

"I was down the garden digging up the first crop o' taters, when I see a flash o' lightning, and then came a clap o' thunder as sharp as the crack of a whip. It made my ears sing. Then as I run to see, I hears Pete Warboys yelling out--'They shot me with a big gun--they shot me with a big gun.'"

"Hadn't some one better fetch the doctor?" said a fresh voice.

"He's gone out," cried another.

"Shot me with a big gun," yelled Pete again.

"Thank you, yes, thank you," came now in a voice which made Tom Blount's heart leap. "I don't think I am much hurt. Where is my boy Tom?"

"I'm all right, uncle," cried the boy eagerly, though he felt very far from being so; and he heard a few murmured words of thankfulness.

"Where is Mr Maxted?"

"I am here," said the Vicar, "not much hurt. But tell me, how are your eyes?"

"Rather dim and misty. But what was it?" said Uncle Richard, rather feebly; "an explosion?"

"Shot me with a big gun--shot me with a big gun."

"Will some one put a tater in that boy's ugly mouth," cried David indignantly. "I tell yer all it was thunder and lightning. I saw one and heard t'other, both sharp together."

"Yes, yes, yes. Didn't I always tell you so?" cried a shrill voice; and Tom looked round, to dimly make out Mother Warboys bending over her grandson, who was now sitting on the gra.s.s close under the wall, where he had been placed. "I always said it. His punishment's come at last for all his wicked tricks and evil dealings."

"And one in hers too," cried David. "A wicked old sinner! Hold your tongue, will you!"

"Nay, nay, I'll hold no tongue," cried Mother Warboys. "He's a wicked man-witch, and allays doing evil and making charms."

"Shot me with a big gun, granny."

"Hold thy tongue, boy. It's come to him at last--it's come to him at last. I always telled ye that he was a bad, wicked one. Now he's punished."

"Oh dear me! I cannot put up with this," muttered the Vicar. "David, my good fellow, give me your hand. Thank you--that's better. I think I can stand now. Oh, yes. That's right; but I've lost my gla.s.ses."

"Here they are, sir," said a voice, "but they're all crushed to bits."

"Then I must do without them, I suppose."

"An old wicked one, who buys up mills and starves the poor, so that he may go on in his evil ways. I told you all so, but it's come to him at last."

"Oh dear me!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Vicar. "Keep my arm, David. Here, you sir, get up."

"Shot me with a gun--shot me with a gun," yelled Pete, who had got hold of one form of complaint, and kept to it.

"Silence, sir! It's all nonsense; no one fired a gun."

"Yes; shot me, and knocked me off the wall."

"Is he hurt?" asked the Vicar, as Uncle Richard now sat up.

"Don't think so, sir," said one of the village people. "We can't find nothing the matter with him."

"I told you so--I told you all so," continued Mother Warboys, waving her stick.

"And I tell you so," cried the Vicar angrily. "Go along home, you wicked old she Shimei. How dare you come cursing here when your poor neighbours are in trouble!"

"I--I--I don't care--I will say it," cried Mother Warboys.

"You dare to say another word, and you shall have no dole next Sunday,"

cried the Vicar angrily.

"I--I don't care; I say it's come home to him at last. I always said it would."

"Yes, you wicked old creature; and in spite of your vanity you are not a prophetess. Take that old woman home," cried the Vicar fiercely; but no one stirred.

"What, are you all afraid of her?"

"She'll get cursing and ill-wishing us if we do, sir," said one of the men present.

"I'll take her home, sir," cried David. "Don't s'pose she'll hurt me much if she do. Come along, old lady, and you, Pete, take hold of her other arm."

Pete obeyed, and seemed to forget his injuries, taking Mother Warboys'

other arm, and helping her out of the yard, she saying no more, but shaking her head, and muttering that she "always knowed how it would be."

By this time Uncle Richard was sufficiently recovered to walk about; and, beckoning Tom to him, he took his arm and went into the workshop, where the silvered piece of speculum lay shattered; and in addition to the windows being broken, the bench was split from end to end, and a table and stools knocked over.

"Look at the speculum, Tom. Is it hurt?"

Tom's ears were still ringing as he crossed to where they had laid the disc of gla.s.s face downwards; and on uncovering it, he found it uninjured, and said so, making his uncle draw a deep breath as if much relieved.

"Now lock up the place, Tom," he said, "and let's go indoors. I am too much shaken to say much, so ask Mr Maxted to request the people to go away now, and then you can fasten the gate."

"Think she'll tumble down, sir?" said a voice at the door; and they turned to find David back panting and breathless. "Took her home, sir.

She kep' on chuntering all the way, but parson frightened her about the dole, and she never said a cross word. But think the mill 'll come down?"

"Oh no, David," said Uncle Richard quietly; "there is no fear. Is that boy much hurt?"

"Him, sir? Tchah! There's nothing the matter with him. The shock knocked him off the wall, and he lay howling, expecting some one to give him a shilling to put him right. He'd forgotten all about it before he got home, and began to quarrel with his granny."

"Help to lock up," said Uncle Richard; and, leaving Tom free to speak to the people, and ask them to disperse, he laid his hand on David's arm.

Ten minutes later the people were all out of the yard, and hanging about in the lane discussing the thunderbolt, as they called it, that had fallen, some declaring that the worst always came out of a clear sky, while others declared that they'd "never seed thunder and lightning without clouds."