[Dick o’ the Fens by George Manville Fenn]@TWC D-Link bookDick o’ the Fens CHAPTER ONE 3/3
"How much is there in it ?" "Don't know; can't see." "Never mind, pitch it in and let's go, only don't run." "It would be too bad," said Tom, laughing. "Never mind--we'll buy him some more powder.
In with it." "No," said Tom, hesitating, though the trick was his suggestion. Dick snatched the powder-horn from his companion, gave a hasty glance at the workshop, from which came the clink of pincers, and pitched the horn right into the middle of the blaze. Chip gave a sharp bark, and dashed after it, but stopped short, growling as he felt the heat, and then went on barking furiously, while the two boys walked off toward the rough road as fast as they could, soon to be beyond the reach of the wheelwright's explosion of anger, for they regretted not being able to stop and see the blow-up. "What's your Chip barking at ?" said the wheelwright, as the two men walked out, armed with great iron pincers, the wheelwright holding a pair in each hand.
"What is it, Chip ?" The dog kept on barking furiously, and making little charges at the fire. "There's summat there," said Dave in a low harsh voice.
"Where's they boys ?" "Yonder they go," said the wheelwright. "Then there's summat wrong," said Dave, taking off his fox-skin cap and scratching his head. An idea occurred to him, and he ran to his coat. "Hah!" he ejaculated in a voice that sounded like a saw cutting wood and coming upon a nail; "keep back, Chip! Here, Chip, boy; Chip! They've throwed in my powder-horn." "Eh!" cried the wheelwright. Pop! went the horn with a feeble report, consequent upon there being only about a couple of charges of powder left; but it was enough to scatter the embers in all directions, and for a few moments all stood staring at the smoking wood in the midst of which lay the great iron tire, rapidly turning black. Dave was the first to recover himself. "Come on," he shouted, and, pincers in hand, he seized the heated ring, the wheelwright followed suit, the apprentice joined, and lifting the glowing iron it was soon being hammered into its place round the smoking wheel, the soft metal bending and yielding, and burning its way till, amidst the blinding smoke, it was well home and cooling and shrinking, this part of the business being rapidly concluded by means of buckets of water brought by Jacob, and passed along the edge of the wheel. "I say, Tom, it wasn't half a bang," said Dick as the two lads ran towards home with the wind whistling by their ears. "No," was the panted-out reply; "but I say, what will old Dave say ?" "I don't care what he says.
I shall give him a shilling to buy some more powder, and he can soon make himself another horn.".
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