Patience Wins Part 53

_Jig, jig, tug, tug_ at the top of my rod, and I looked down to see that the float was out of sight and the rod nearly touching the water.

My fisherman's instinct made me strike at once, and in spite of the agitation produced by the words I had heard I was ready for the exciting struggle I expected to follow. I had certainly hooked a fish which struggled and tugged to get away; but it was not the great carp or tench I expected to capture, only a miserable little eel which I drew through the water as I walked slowly along the ledge towards the end of the works farthest from the wheel, where I climbed on the wall, and, still dragging my prize, I went right on to the far end, where the water came in from the stream. There I crossed the wooden plank that did duty for a bridge, and glanced furtively back at the windows of the works looking out upon the dam.

As far as I could make out I had not been seen, and I had obtained some very valuable information that might be useful for our protection.

When I had reached the spot where I had begun fishing I drew in my capture; but it was not a long eel, but a ma.s.s of twined-up, snake-like fish which had wreathed itself into a knot with my line.

To get it free seemed to be impossible, so I cut off the piece of line just above the knot and let it fall into the water to extricate itself, while I went back to the office to have a few words with my uncles about what I had heard.

"I think we are in duty bound to send you home, Cob," said Uncle Jack, and the others murmured their acquiescence.

"Send me home!" I cried. "What! Just when all the fun is going to begin!"

"Fun!" said Uncle d.i.c.k, "Fun that the frogs suffered when the boys stoned them, eh?"

"Oh, but you know what I mean, uncle. I don't want to go."

"But we have run you into terrible risks already," cried Uncle Bob, "and if you were hurt I should feel as if I could never face your father and mother again."

"Oh, but I sha'n't be hurt," I cried. "There, I'm ready for anything, and shall always try to get on the safe side."

"As you always do," said Uncle Jack grimly. "No, my boy, you must not stay. It is evident from what you overheard that the men have some design against us on hand. Above all, they have taken a great dislike to you, and in their blind belief that you are one of the causes of their trouble they evidently feel spiteful and will not shrink from doing you harm. And that's rather a long-winded speech," he added, smiling.

"Can't we make them see that we are working for them instead of against them?" said Uncle d.i.c.k.

"No," said Uncle Bob. "No one can teach prejudiced workmen. The light comes to them some day, but it takes a long time to get through their dense brains. I think Cob must go."

"Oh! Uncle Bob," I exclaimed.

"I can't help it," my lad. "There seems to be no help for it. I shall regret it horribly, for your uncles are very poor company."

"Thankye," said Uncle d.i.c.k.

"Nice remark from the most stupid of three brothers," grumbled Uncle Jack.

"But you ought not to be exposed to these risks," continued Uncle Bob, "and now that by your own showing there is something worse on the way."

"Oh, it can't be worse than it has been; and besides, the men said I was always the first to find anything out. You see I have this time-- again."

"Yes, with a vengeance," said Uncle Jack.

"And I'm sure you can't spare me."

"No, we can ill spare you, Cob," said Uncle d.i.c.k, "but we should not be doing our duty if we kept you here."

"Now, uncle," I cried, "I believe if I went home--though, of course, they would be very glad to see me--my father would say I ought to be ashamed of myself for leaving you three in the lurch."

"Look here! Look here! Look here!" cried Uncle Bob. "We can't sit here and be dictated to by this boy. He has run risks enough, and he had better go back to them at once."

"Oh, you see if I would have said a word if I had known that you would have served me like this!" I cried angrily. "Anyone would think I was a schoolgirl."

"Instead of a man of sixteen," said Uncle Bob.

"Never mind," I cried, "you were sixteen once, Uncle Bob."

"Quite right, my boy, so I was, and a conceited young rascal I was, almost as c.o.c.ky as you are."

"Thank you, uncle."

"Only I had not been so spoiled by three easy-going, good-natured uncles, who have made you think that you are quite a man."

"Thank you, uncle," I said again, meaning to be very sarcastic.

"Instead of a soft stripling full of sap."

"And not fit to stand against the blows of oak cudgels and the injured Arrowfield workmen," said Uncle d.i.c.k.

"Oh, all right! Banter away," I said. "I don't mind. I shall grow older and stronger and more manly, I hope."

"Exactly," said Uncle Jack; "and that's what we are aiming at for you, my lad. We don't want to see you scorched by an explosion, or hurt by blows, or made nervous by some horrible shock."

"I don't want to be hurt, of course," I said, "and I'm not at all brave.

I was terribly frightened when I found the powder canister, and when I fell in the wheel-pit. I believe I was alarmed when I heard the men talking about what they were going to do; but I should be ashamed of myself, after going through so much, if I ran away, as they said you three would do."

"How was that?" cried Uncle Bob.

"With your tails between your legs, regularly frightened away like curs."

"They may carry us to the hospital without a leg to stand upon, or take us somewhere else without heads to think, but they will not see us running away in such a fashion as that," quoth Uncle d.i.c.k.

"Boy," said Uncle Jack, in his sternest way, "I would give anything to keep you with us, but I feel as if it has been a lapse of duty towards you to let you run these risks."

"But suppose I had been made a midshipman, uncle," I argued, "I should have always been running the risks of the sea, and the foreign climate where I was sent, and of being killed or wounded by the enemy."

"If there was war," suggested Uncle Bob.

"Yes, uncle, if there was war."

"Cob, my lad," said Uncle d.i.c.k, "that's a strong argument, but it does not convince us. Your Uncle Jack speaks my feelings exactly. I would give anything to keep you with us, for your young elastic nature seems to send off or radiate something brightening on to ours; and, now that you are going away, I tell you frankly that your courage has often encouraged us."

"Has it, uncle?" I cried.

"Often, my lad."

"Ay that it has," said Uncle Jack. "I've often felt down-hearted and ready to throw up our adventure; but I've seen you so fresh and eager, and so ready to fight it out, that I've said to myself--If a boy like that is ready to go on it would be a shame for a man to shrink."

"Yes," said Uncle Bob, "I confess to the same feeling."