"Smelt them!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, to find out about the gunpowder. He has found it all out, I"m sure."
"So am I," I said sadly, but without telling Bigley I meant something else.
"And then he went right down slowly just where the big rock slipped along, and down to the stream, and washed his hands and came home."
"And did he speak to you about it?"
"No," replied Bigley. "I expected him to say a lot. I didn"t mind, for I should have told him all about it, and I don"t think he would have been very cross with me; but he didn"t say a single word about it, though I saw him shake his fist several times when he was talking to himself, and soon after he set off to walk in to Barnstaple, and, as I told you, he hasn"t got back."
Just then there was the clattering of hoofs, and I looked up and saw my father coming down the zigzag road.
"I must go now," I said. "Don"t think me unkind, Big, old chap. Or you stop and I"ll come out to you again."
"Yes, do," he said. "I"ll go and sit down on the rocks till you come.
Only, mind you do."
I promised that I would and we parted, one going down towards the sea, the other along the lane, where I met my father looking very hot and tired; but he seemed in good spirits, so I supposed that he had not met old Jonas.
"Well, Sep," he cried, "how about the experiment? What luck?"
"Oh, we melted the stones, father, and got out of them a little bit of lead."
"It was lead, then?" he said eagerly, as we reached the cottage.
"Yes, father, and Doctor Chowne says he thinks there"s silver in it as well."
"You young dog!" cried the doctor, coming out pipe in mouth. "Why, you are telling all the news, and there"ll be nothing left for me to do."
"Only show the stuff," I said.
"Ah, yes; show the result," said the doctor. "But come in, Duncan, the tea"s waiting, and I want a cup myself."
"And I am regularly tired out," cried my father. "Here, Sam, feed the pony well, for he has worked hard."
Sam, who had heard the pony coming, took the rein and led it off to the stable, while I followed my father into the little parlour, where the doctor caught him by the arm.
"Here"s the specimen, father," I said; but he did not turn his head, for the doctor was speaking to him.
"Did you get the deeds?" he said.
"Chowne, you"re as good as a witch," cried my father.
"Why?"
"As I came out of the lawyer"s office, who should I see but old Jonas Uggleston coming along the street, and as I went into the hotel I saw him turn in where I had been."
"But did you get the deeds?" cried the doctor.
"Specimen, Sep?" said my father. "Oh, that"s it, is it? Well, it doesn"t look worth all this trouble."
"Duncan, what a man you are!" said Doctor Chowne pettishly. "I"ve said twice over, Did you get the deeds?"
"I beg your pardon, Chowne. Yes, of course. He wanted to put me off, said I"d better let them stop with him, and that there was no hurry, and that a little endorsing was wanted."
"Oh, of course!" said the doctor.
"But when he saw that I was in earnest, and that I meant to wait for them, he set to work and got the business done--that is, all that was wanted. In fact, it was a mere nothing."
"And he wanted to keep them in his charge unsigned, with the chance of making more of the estate to somebody else if that somebody else turned up."
"Jonas Uggleston to wit?" said my father.
"Exactly. Duncan, old fellow, you see that you were just in time."
"That"s what I felt, Chowne; but there the deeds are safe and sound; the Gap is thoroughly mine--my freehold."
"And you may congratulate yourself on being the owner of a valuable lead and silver mine."
"Then you feel sure of that, Chowne?" said my father, who seemed quite overcome.
"I am certain of it; but of course I can"t say what is the quant.i.ty."
"Silver?"
"Probably. Lead, certain."
"Then, Sep, my boy--" cried my father excitedly, catching me by the shoulder.
"Yes, father," I said.
I believe now that my father was going to say something about my growing up to be a rich man; but he checked himself, and only said quietly:
"Come and sit down to tea."
CHAPTER TEN.
WE BALE THE ROCK POOL.
Now there was very little done during the rest of our holidays; all I remember was, that instead of old Jonas Uggleston being very disagreeable, and making himself my father"s enemy, he grew very civil and pleasant, and nodded to my father when they met, and called him "Captain."
He was wonderfully kind to me too, asking me into the house, and seeming very pleased whenever he knew that Bigley had come over to see me.
The news that there was lead and silver in the Gap soon spread, and a great many people came to see my father, and wanted to buy the little estate; but he said no, that he should work it himself, for he wanted some occupation; and he and the doctor planned it all out, how to begin in a small way; and men were set to work to wall in the part where the mine was to be opened, and to build sheds and pumping-house.