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Young Little sat amazed; and drank in his words with delight; and could not realize that this genial philosopher was the person who had launched a band of ruffians at him。 Yet; in his secret heart; he could not doubt it: and so he looked and listened with a marvelous mixture of feelings; on which one could easily write pages of analysis; very curious; and equally tedious。
They dined at three; and; at five; they got up; as agreed beforehand; and went to inspect the reservoir in course of construction。 A more compendious work of art was never projected: the contractors had taken for their basis a mountain gorge; with a stream flowing through it down toward Hillsborough; all they had to do was to throw an embankment across the lower end of the gorge; and turn it to a mighty basin open to receive the stream; and the drainage from four thousand acres of hill。 From this lake a sixty… foot wear was to deal out the water…supply to the mill…owners below; and the surplus to the people of Hillsborough; distant about eight miles on an easy decline。
Now; as the reservoir must be full at starting; and would then be eighty feet deep in the center; and a mile long; and a quarter of a mile broad; on the average; an embankment of uncommon strength was required to restrain so great a mass of water; and this was what the Hillsborough worthies were curious about。 They strolled out to the works; and then tea was to come out after them; the weather being warm and soft。 Close to the works they found a foreman of engineers smoking his pipe; and interrogated him。 He showed them a rising wall; five hundred feet wide at the base; and told them it was to be ninety feet high; narrowing; gradually; to a summit twelve feet broad。 As the whole embankment was to be twelve hundred feet long at the top; this gave some idea of the bulk of the materials to be used: those materials were clay; shale; mill…stone; and sandstone of looser texture。 The engineer knew Grotait; and brought him a drawing of the mighty cone to be erected。 〃Why; it will be a mountain!〃 said Little。
〃Not far from that; sir: and yet you'll never see half the work。 Why; we had an army of navvies on it last autumn; and laid a foundation sixty feet deep and these first courses are all bonded in to the foundation; and bonded together; as you see。 We are down to solid rock; and no water can get to undermine us。 The puddle wall is sixteen feet wide at starting; and diminishes to four feet at the top: so no water can creep in through our jacket。〃
〃But what are these apertures?〃 inquired Grotait。
〃Oh; those are the waste…pipes。 They pass through the embankment obliquely; to the wear…dam: they can be opened; or shut; by valves; and run off ten thousand cubic feet of water a minute。〃
〃But won't that prove a hole in your armor? Why; these pipes must be in twenty joints; at least。〃
〃Say fifty…five; you'll be nearer the mark。〃
〃And suppose one or two of these fifty…five joints should leak? You'll have an everlasting solvent in the heart of your pile; and you can't get at them; you know; to mend them。〃
〃Of course not; but they are double as thick as ever were used before; and have been severely tested before laying 'em down: besides; don't you see each of them has got his great…coat on? eighteen inches of puddle all the way。〃
〃Ah;〃 said Grotait; 〃all the better。 But it is astonishing what big embankments will sometimes burst if a leaky pipe runs through them。 I don't think it is the water; altogether; the water seems to make air inside them; and that proves as bad for them as wind in a man's stomach。〃
〃Governor;〃 said the engineer; 〃don't you let bees swarm in your bonnet。 Ousely reservoir will last as long as them hills there。〃
〃No; doubt; lad; since thou's had a hand in making it。〃
The laugh this dry rejoinder caused was interrupted by the waitress bringing out tea; and these Hillsborough worthies felt bound to chaff her; but she; being Yorkshire too; gave them as good as they brought; and a trifle to spare。
Tea was followed by brandy…and…water and pipes: and these came out in such rapid succession; that when Grotait drove Little and two others home; his utterance was thick; and his speech sententious。
Little found Bayne waiting for him; with the news that he had left Mr。 Cheetham。
〃How was that?〃
〃Oh; fell between two stools。 Tried to smooth matters between Cheetham and the hands: but Cheetham; he wants a manager to side with him through thick and thin; and the men want one to side with them。 He has sacked me; and the men are glad I'm going: and this comes of loving peace; when the world hates it。〃
〃And I am glad of it; for now you are my foreman。 I know what you are worth; if those fools don't。〃
〃Are you in earnest; Little?〃
〃Why not?〃
〃I hear you have been dining with Grotait; and he always makes the liquor fly。 Wait till tomorrow。 Talk it over with Mrs。 Little here。 I'm afraid I'm not the right sort for a servant。 Too fond of 'the balmy;' and averse to the whole hog。〃 (The poor fellow was quite discouraged。)
〃The very man I want to soothe me at odd times: they rile me so with their suicidal folly。 Now; look here; old fellow; if you don't come to me; I'll give you a good hiding。〃
〃Oh! well; sooner than you should break the peace。 Mrs。 Little; I'd rather be with him at two guineas a week; than with any other master at three。〃
When he had got this honest fellow to look after his interests; young Little gave more way than ever to his natural bent for invention; and he was often locked up for twelve hours at a stretch; in a room he called his studio。 Indeed; such was his ardor; that he sometimes left home after dinner; and came back to the works; and then the fitful fire of his forge might be seen; and the blows of his hammer heard; long after midnight。
Dr。 Amboyne encouraged him in this; and was; indeed; the only person admitted to his said studio。 There the Democritus of Hillsborough often sat and smoked his cigar; and watched the progress toward perfection of projected inventions great and small。
One day the doctor called and asked Bayne whether Henry was in his studio。 Bayne said no; he thought he had seen him in the saw… grinders' hull。 〃And that struck me; for it is not often his lordship condescends to go there now。〃
〃Let us see what 'his lordship' is at。〃
They approached stealthily; and; looking through a window; saw the inventor standing with his arms folded; and his eyes bent on a grinder at his work: the man was pressing down a six…feet saw on a grindstone with all his might and Little was looking on; with a face compounded of pity; contempt; and lofty contemplation。
〃That is the game now; sir;〃 whispered Bayne: 〃always in the clouds; or else above 'em。 A penny for your thoughts; sir!〃
Henry started; as men do who are roused from deep contemplation; however; he soon recovered himself; and; with a sort of rude wit of his own; he held out his hand for the penny。
Amboyne fumbled in his pocket; and gave him a stamp。
Little seized it; and delivered himself as follows: 〃My thoughts; gentlemen; were general and particular。 I was making a reflection how contented people are to go b