“I owe my life to you,” he said, his voice trembling in spite of himself. “I could not have gotten out of the way if you had not helped me.”
“Oh, I guess you might have managed somehow,” replied Dan, for he did not like to hear himself praised so highly.
“No, I could not. The frame would have held me, and I would now be lying dead under those bricks, Dan.”
“I am glad I was here to help you.”
“I meant to have the forge chimney repaired some time ago,” went on the blacksmith. “I noticed a large crack in it, but I kept putting it off from time to time. This has taught me a lesson, that delay is dangerous.”
“It will need quite some repairing now.”
“Yes, it will have to be rebuilt. And this decides me. I shall now give up the blacksmith work for ever. I have finished all the contracts I had, except this frame, and that can be done elsewhere.”
“What are you going to do then, Mr. Harrison?”
“I shall close up the shop until I find a purchaser for it. Then I will repair the chimney. In the meanwhile I shall proceed with the work of erecting my little machine shop. I have the arrangements all made, and there is no need of delaying further. How would you like to learn to be a machinist?”
“Very much, I think. Would I get a chance to study?”