“Plenty of room to do any amount of work,” cried Uncle Jack. “I think the place a bargain.”
“Yes,” said Uncle Bob, “where we can carry out our inventions; and if anybody is disagreeable, we can shut ourselves up like knights in a castle and laugh at all attacks.”
“Yes,” said Uncle Dick thoughtfully; “but I wish we had not begun by quarrelling with those men.”
“Let’s try and make friends as we go out,” said Uncle Jack.
It was a good proposal; and, under the impression that a gallon or two of beer would heal the sore place, we went into the big workshop or mill, where all the men had now resumed their tasks, and were grinding away as if to make up for lost time.
One man was seated alone on a stone bench, and as we entered he half turned, and I saw that it was Uncle Dick’s opponent.
He looked at us for a moment and then turned scowling away.
My uncles whispered together, and then Uncle Dick stepped forward and said:
“I’m sorry we had this little upset, my lads. It all arose out of a mistake. We have taken these works, and of course wanted to look round them, but we do not wish to put you to any inconvenience. Will you—”
He stopped short, for as soon as he began to speak the men seemed to press down their blades that they were grinding harder and harder, making them send forth such a deafening churring screech that he paused quite in despair of making himself heard.