“It is not what you have done, my dear sirs; it is what you are about to do. The work-people have got it into their heads that you are going to invent some kind of machinery that will throw them out of work.”
“Nothing of the kind, my dear sir. We are trying to perfect an invention that will bring a vast deal of trade to Arrowfield.”
“But you will not be able to make them believe that till the business comes.”
“And before then, I suppose, we are to be killed?”
Mr Tomplin looked very serious, and stared hard at me, as if it was all my fault.
“My dear sirs,” he said at last, “I hardly know how to advise you. It is a most unthankful task to try and invent anything, especially down here. People are so blindly obstinate and wilful that they will not listen to reason. Why not go steadily on with manufacturing in the regular way? What do you say, my young friend?” he added, turning to me.
“Why not ask the world to stand still, sir?” I exclaimed impetuously. “I say it’s a shame!”
He looked very hard at me, and then pursed up his lips, while I felt that I had been speaking very rudely to him, and could only apologise to myself by thinking that irritation was allowable, for only last night we had been nearly blown up.
“Would you put the matter in the hands of the police?” said Uncle Dick.
“Well, you might,” said Mr Tomplin.