Sappers and Miners Part 86

"Indeed, but I would, sir," said the Colonel. "The machinery will be sold for what it will fetch, and then I shall return to my old, calm, peaceful life."

"But, my dear sir," began Mr Brownson.

"Pray do not argue the matter, sir," said the Colonel, and at last the two solicitors went disappointed away. But in the three weeks which elapsed before the auction, four more applications were made, still without result, and then came the sale, months of work, and at last the whole of the appliances of the mine that could be got at were swept away.

It was about three months later that, one evening, the Major sat at a round table over which Colonel Pendarve presided, with divers books before him and a carefully-drawn-up balance-sheet, which he proceeded to read; Mrs Pendarve, Gwyn and Joe Jollivet being the other listeners.

It was full of details, vouchers for all of which were in the books.

But Major Jollivet stopped him.

"Look here, Pendarve," he said; "the weather is going to change, or I have one of my fever fits coming on, so I don't want to be bothered.

Look here, I joined you in this speculation, and it has turned out unfortunate. I trust you in every way, and I know that everything you have done is for the best. So just tell me in plain figures what is the amount of the deficit, and I will draw you a cheque for one-half. If it's too big a pull, Joe, you will have to go to work, and I into a smaller house. Now, then, please let me know the worst."

"Glad you take it so well," said the Colonel, frowning, and coughing to clear his voice, while Mrs Pendarve looked very anxious, and the lads exchanged glances.

"Ahem!" coughed the Colonel again. "Well, sir, in spite of the very favourable returns made by the mine, our expenses in commencing, for machinery, and the months of barren preparation, we are only--"

"Will you tell me the worst?" cried the Major, angrily.

"I will," said the Colonel; "the worst is, that after all we have paid and received, we now have standing in the bank the sum of twelve hundred pounds odd, which, being divided by two, means just over six hundred pounds apiece."

"Loss?" cried the Major.

"Gain," said the Colonel. "We worked the mine for the boys, so that money will just do for their preparation for the army, for they're fitter for soldiers than miners after all."

The Major had risen to his feet, and stood with his lips trembling.

"Am I dreaming?" he said.

"No, my dear old friend; very wide awake."

"Then I have not lost?"

"No; gained enough to pay well for Joe's education, and I stand just the same. Now, boys, a good training with an army coach, and then Sandhurst. What do you say?"

"Hurrah!" cried the boys in a breath; and when they repeated it their fathers joined in.

About a month later Grip was loose in the garden, and seeing some one approach, Gwyn rushed at the dog, seized him by the collar, and chained him up before turning back to meet--Tom Dina.s.s, who was coming up to the house.

"You here--alive?" cried Gwyn.

"Seems like it, sir," said the man, grinning. "That there dorg's as nasty and savage as ever. Guv'nor in?"

"Yes, I'm here, sir," said the Colonel, who had seen the man approach.

"Then you were not drowned in the mine?"

"Oh, no, I warn't drowned in the mine."

"Well, what is your business?"

"Would you mind taking me in where we sha'n't be heard?"

"No, sir; you can speak out here. I don't suppose you have anything to say that my son may not hear."

"Oh, very well, then, sir, it's this here. Old Dix--Loyer Dix--sent me here, ever so long ago, to spy out and report on your mine, and I did; and both Dix and Loyer Brownson, as they're partners now, finding it a likely spec, wanted to buy it, but you wouldn't sell, and worked it yourself."

"Well, sir, what of that?"

"Oh, only that they were disappointed, and they became friends after, and sent me here to get took on and report everything."

"Ah, I see," said the Colonel, quietly; "a spy in the camp."

"Yes, sir," said the man, grinning.

"And you reported everything to them?"

"Yes, sir, o' course; they paid me to, and so I did."

"And took our money, too!" said Gwyn, indignantly.

"Oh, but I worked for that, Mr Gwyn, sir, and worked hard."

"Exactly," said the Colonel, smiling; and seeing that it was apparently taken as a good joke, Dina.s.s grinned widely.

"Then they got more and more disappointed as they found out what a prize they'd let slip through their fingers; and at last got so wild that, when I went to report to 'em one Sunday, they asked me if I couldn't do something to spoil your game."

"On a Sunday, eh?" said the Colonel.

"Oh, yes, it was on a Sunday, sir. So I said I'd try and think it out; and at last I did, and went and told 'em I thought I could let the water in and spoil the mine, and then they'd be able to buy it cheap."

"And what did they say?"

"Oh, they both coughed and rubbed their hands, and said it would be too shocking a thing to do, and that I should be bringing myself under the law, and all on in that way, pretending like to make me feel that they didn't want me to do it, but egging me on all the time."

"Ah, I see," said the Colonel, while Gwyn's teeth gritted together with rage.

"I wasn't going to shilly-shally, so I ast 'em downright if I should do it, and 'Oh, dear no,' says they, they couldn't think of such a thing; and little Dix says, 'Of course, as we promised, if we had succeeded in buying the mine for our company through your reports we should have given you the situation of captain of the working and a hundred pounds; but we couldn't think of encouraging such criminal ideas as those you 'mulgated. Let me see,' he says, 'it was to be a hundred pounds, warn't it?'

"'Yes,' I says, 'it was.'

"'Exactly,' he says, 'but we haven't got the mine, so we wish you good-morning,' which was like renewing the offer in an underhanded way.

So I come back and did it."

"How?" burst in Gwyn.

"Easy enough, sir. Found out where the highest gallery ran, stuck a big tin o' stuff over it, and set it off with a little 'lectric machine on the rocks. I knowed everybody would soon get out."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Gwyn.