He made two or three s.n.a.t.c.hes at the stick, but missed it, and his struggles took him farther from the edge into the deep water close by, where the wall that supported the great wheel was at right angles to where we stood.
It was a terribly dangerous and slippery place, but Uncle Jack did not hesitate. Walking along a slippery ledge that was lapped by the water, he managed to reach the drowning man, holding to him his stick; and then as the fellow clutched it tightly he managed to guide him towards the edge, where Uncle d.i.c.k knelt down, and at last caught him by the collar and drew him out, dripping and half insensible.
"Down, dog!" cried Uncle d.i.c.k as Piter made a dash at his enemy, who now lay perfectly motionless.
Piter growled a remonstrance and drew back slowly, but as he reached the man"s feet he made a sudden dart down and gave one of his ankles a pinch with his trap-like jaws.
The effect was instantaneous. The man jumped up and shook his fist in our faces.
"Yow"ll get it for this here," he roared. "Yow threw me in dam and then set your dawg at me. Yow"ll hev it for this. Yow"ll see. Yow"ll--"
"Look here," said Uncle Bob, mimicking the fellow"s broad rough speech, "hadn"t yow better go home and take off your wet things?"
"Yow pitched me in dam and set dawg at me," cried the fellow again.
"Go home and get off your wet things and go to bed," said Uncle Jack, "and don"t come worrying us again--do you hear?"
"Yow pitched me in dam and set dawg at me," cried the man again; and from the other side of the pool the man who had swum across and been joined by some companions yelled out:
"Gi"e it to un, Chawny--gi"e it to un."
"Yow pitched me in dam and set dawg--"
"Look here," roared Uncle Bob, "if you"re not out of this place in half a minute I will pitch you in the dam, and set the dog at you as well.
Here, Piter."
"Give"s leg over the wall," growled the man.
"No. Go out of the gate," said Uncle Jack; and standing ready to avoid a rush we opened the gate in the wall and let the fellow go free.
We got him out and escaped a rush, for the little crowd were all up by the side of the dam, whence they could see into the yard; but as we sent Chawny, as he was called, out through the gate, and he turned to stand there, dripping, and ready to shake his fist in our faces, they came charging down.
Uncle Bob banged the door to, though, as our enemy repeated his angry charge:
"Yow pitched me in dam and set dawg at me."
Then the door was closed and we prepared for the next attack from the murmuring crowd outside.
But none came, and the voices gradually grew fainter and died away, while, taking it in turns, we watched till morning began to break without any farther demonstration on the part of the enemy.
"We"re safe for this time, boys," said Uncle d.i.c.k.
"Now go and have a few hours" rest. I"ll call you when the men come."
We were only too glad, and ten minutes later we were all asleep on some shavings and straw in the upper workshop, while Uncle d.i.c.k and Piter kept guard.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
ON GUARD.
It seemed as if it had all been a dream when I awoke and found Uncle Bob was shaking me.
"Come, young fellow," he cried; "breakfast"s ready."
I did not feel ready for my breakfast if it was, especially a breakfast of bread and meat with no chair, no table, no cloth, no tea, coffee, or bread and b.u.t.ter.
Such a good example was shown me, though, that I took the thick sandwich offered to me, and I was soon forgetting my drowsiness and eating heartily.
We were not interrupted, and when we had ended our meal, went round the place to see what was to be done.
The first thing was placing the property that could be claimed by the men close by the gate ready for them, and when this was done Piter and I walked up and down the yard listening to the steps outside, and waiting to give a signal if any of the men should come.
No men came, however, and there was not a single call till afternoon, when a sharp rapping at the gate was answered by two of my uncles, and the dog, who seemed puzzled as to the best pair of legs to peer between, deciding at last in favour of Uncle Bob"s.
To our surprise, when the gate was opened, there were no men waiting, but half a dozen women, one of whom announced that they had came for their masters" "traps," and the said "traps" being handed to them, they went off without a word, not even condescending to say "Thank you."
"Come," said Uncle Bob, after the various things had been carried off, and Piter had stood looking on twitching his ears and blinking at them, as if he did not war with women, "Come, we"ve won the game."
"Don"t be too sure, my boy," said Uncle d.i.c.k.
"But they have, given up."
"Given up expecting to use the works. But what are they going to do in revenge?"
"Revenge!"
"Yes. You may depend upon it we are marked men, and that we shall have to fight hard to hold our own."
As the day went on--a day busily spent in making plans for the future of our factory, we had one or two applications from men who were seeking work, and if we had any doubt before of how our coming was to be received, we realised it in the yells and hootings that greeted the men who came in a friendly spirit.
Uncle d.i.c.k went off directly after breakfast to see about the machinery waiting at the railway being delivered, and it was late in the afternoon before he returned.
"One of us will have to stay always on the premises for the present," he said, "so I have ordered some furniture and a carpenter to come and board up and make that corner office comfortable. We must make shift."
The matter was discussed, and finally it was settled that two of our party were to be always on the premises, and until we were satisfied that there was no more fear of interference, one was to keep watch half the night with the dog, and then be relieved by the other.
"We shall have to make a man of you, Cob," said Uncle Jack. "You must take your turn with us."
"I"m ready," I replied; and very proud I felt of being trusted.
Of course I felt nervous, but at the same time rather disappointed, for everything went on in the most business like way. Carpenters and fitters were set to work, and, helped by the indomitable perseverance and energy of my uncles, a great deal of fresh machinery was soon in position. New shafts and bands, a new furnace for preparing our own steel after a fashion invented by Uncle d.i.c.k. New grindstones and polishing-wheels, new forges with tilt-hammers, and anvils.
By degrees I found what was going to be our chief business, and that was the production of cutlery of a peculiar temper especially for surgical instruments and swords, Uncle d.i.c.k having an idea that he could produce blades equal to Damascus or the finest Spanish steel.
The days glided by with the works growing more complete, and each night half our party on guard at Fort Industry, as Uncle Bob christened the place. And though the couple who had slept at the lodgings went down to the place every morning feeling nervous, and wondering whether anything had happened in the night, it was always to find that all was going on perfectly smoothly, and that there was nothing to mind.