FIRST STEPS.
“I think I could make a better engine than that.”
“Do you? Well, some’ing’s wanted; hauling coal by horses is very expensive.”
“Ay, it is, and I think an engine could do it better.”
“Mr. Blackett’s second engine burst all to pieces; d’ye mind that?”
“How came that about?”
“Tommy Waters, who put it together, could not make it go, so he got a bit fractious and said she should move. He did some’ing to the safety-valve and she did begin to work, but then she burst all to pieces.”
“Ay, ay, but this one is an improvement.”
“It had need be. Even the third was a perfect plague.”