“But surely you will not try so dangerous an experiment again?” said the Vicar anxiously.
“Certainly I shall,” said Uncle Richard. “The experiment is not in the least dangerous if properly carried out. The accident was from my ignorance. I know better now.”
“You’ve paid very dearly for your experience,” said the Vicar, smiling. “It’s rather hard upon your friends, though, to try such risky experiments in their presence.”
“Next time all will go well. Will you come and see it?”
“Really, my dear Brandon, I respect you very much, as my principal parishioner, and a man after my own heart, but I’m afraid I shall be too busy to come next time. I’ll wait till the big telescope is ready for use, when I shall want to peep through; but even then I shall approach it with fear and trembling. It will look like a great gun, and I shall always feel afraid of its going off.”
“And you, Tom,” said his uncle, “what do you say?”
“What about, uncle?”
“Shall you be afraid to come and help silver another time?”
“Oh no, uncle, I think not,” replied the boy. “But I say, will my ears leave off?”
“What, listening?”