[Devon Boys by George Manville Fenn]@TWC D-Link book
Devon Boys

CHAPTER NINE
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A little more this side.

Now then." Up went the bottom of the pot higher still, and out came a little rush of glowing charcoal, and directly after a bit of heavy clinker, and that was all.
"Oh, I say, doctor," I cried, "what a pity!" "Pity, my lad! I don't think so.

Here, let me do it." He lifted up the piece of hard clinker and set it upon the slate slabs by itself, and then taking hold of the mould with the tongs, he raised it and gave it a tap or two on the floor, to get rid of the feather ash, and I could see that there was what seemed to be a piece of thin lead beginning in a sort of splash running to the edge in a thread, then down the side of the mould, to finish off in a little round fat button of metal.
"Hah! I don't think we've done so badly after all, Sep," he said, as he placed the mould upon the table; "but first of all, brush those embers lightly aside, and let's see if there is anything left." I took a wisp of birch and did as I was told, but there was nothing to be seen, and when the doctor took the pot out into the yard, and carefully examined it, he found nothing there, and brought the little clay vessel back.
"You must take care of that pot, Sep," he said.

"It is nothing to look at, but a thing which will stand fire in that way may prove valuable.
Now, then, my lad, bring that bit of refuse, and we will go in and have some dinner.

These things will be quite cool by the time we have done." We carried our treasures into the parlour, and, to Kicksey's great delight, had a wash and our dinner, while she obtained leave to clear away what she was pleased to call our "mess." But the doctor did not let the dinner pass without carefully examining the rugged piece of metal and the button, and then the piece of refuse, the remains of the broken-up specimen.
For my part I was not at all dazzled by the result of our experiment, and at last, with my mouth full of jam and bread and cream, I said: "But that's only a shabby little bit to get out of all those bits I broke up, isn't it, sir ?" "Do you think so, Sep ?" he replied smiling.
"Yes, sir!" "Well, I think quite differently.


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