“Me?” cried the man, indignantly. “’Fraid of an odd-job sort of a chap, took on like out of charity, being able to take my place? Come, I do like that, Master Joe. What do you think of it, Mr Gwyn?”
“Think Joe Jollivet’s right,” said Gwyn, hotly; and Hardock turned upon him angrily,—
“Well, aren’t it enough to make me, sir. Here was I out of work through mine after mine being advertised, and none of ’em a bit of good. And what do I do but sit down and puzzle and think out what could be done, till I hit upon Ydoll and went up and examined it, and looked at bits of stuff that I found on the bank and round about the mouth, till I was sure as sure that it was a good thing that had never been properly worked, or they wouldn’t have pitched away the good ore they did. Though what could you expect from people ever so long ago who had no proper machinery to do things with; and the more I work here the more I’m sure of there being heaps of good stuff to be got. Well, what do I do? Talks to you young gents about it, don’t I? and then your fathers laugh at it all, and I’m regularly upset till they took the idea up. Then I set to and got the place in going order, and it’s bound to be a very big thing, and all my doing, as you may say; and then up comes Mr Dinass to shove his nose in like the thin edge of a wedge. How would you both like it if it was you?”
“Well, I shouldn’t like it at all,” said Gwyn.
“Of course, you wouldn’t, sir, nor Mr Joe neither; and I just tell Mr Tom Dinass this: so long as he goes on and does his work, well and good—I sha’n’t quarrel with him; but if he comes any underhanded games and tries to get me out of my place, I’ll go round the mine with him.”
“You’ll do what?” cried Joe.
“See how deep the mine is with him, sir, and try how he likes that.”
Sam Hardock gave the lads a very meaning nod and walked away, leaving the pair looking inquiringly at each other.
“He’d better mind what he’s about,” said Joe. “That Tom Dinass is an ugly customer if he’s put out.”
“Yes, but it’s all talk,” said Gwyn. “People don’t pitch one another down mines; and besides, you couldn’t pitch anyone down our mine on account of the platforms. Why, you couldn’t drop more than fifteen or twenty feet anywhere.”