He explained as he walked that the thing to be careful about was to avoid getting your fingers pinched between the forks and the spokes of the wheel.

I replied I was convinced, from my own experience, that there was much truth in what he said.

He wrapped himself up in a couple of dusters, and we commenced again.

At length we did get the thing into position; and the moment it was in position he burst out laughing.
I said: "What's the joke ?" He said: "Well, I am an ass!" It was the first thing he had said that made me respect him.

I asked him what had led him to the discovery.
He said: "We've forgotten the balls!" I looked for my hat; it was lying topsy-turvy in the middle of the path, and Ethelbertha's favourite hound was swallowing the balls as fast as he could pick them up.
"He will kill himself," said Ebbson--I have never met him since that day, thank the Lord; but I think his name was Ebbson--"they are solid steel." I said: "I am not troubling about the dog.