“You don’t understand the allusion?”
“No, uncle, I suppose it’s something to do with my being fond of—”
“Riding hobbies,” said the doctor.
“Oh, I don’t want to ride hobbies, uncle,” said Vane, in rather an ill-used tone. “I only like to be doing things that seem as if they would be useful.”
“And quite right, too, my dear,” said Aunt Hannah, “only I do wish you wouldn’t make quite such a mess as you do sometimes.”
“Yes, it’s quite right, mess or no mess,” said the doctor pleasantly. “I’m glad to see you busy over something or another, even if it does not always answer. Better than wasting your time or getting into mischief.”
“But they always would answer, uncle,” said Vane, rubbing one ear in a vexed fashion—“that is, if I could get them quite right.”
“Ah, yes, if you could get them quite right. Well, what about the greenhouse? You know I was telling the parson the other day about your plans about the kitchen-boiler and hot-water.”
Vane looked for a moment as if he had received too severe a check to care to renew the subject on which he had been talking; but his uncle looked so pleasant and tolerant of his plans that the boy fired up.
“Well, it was like this, uncle: you say it is a great nuisance for any one to have to go out and see to the fire on wet, cold, dark nights.”