It was easy enough to get there unseen. Whether he could open the door unheard was another thing.
There was no examining each key in turn, and no whistling in the pipes, but the right one chosen at once and thrust in.
“Tah!” came from overhead loudly; and Vane started back, when quite a chorus arose, and the flock of jackdaws flew away, as if rejoicing at mocking one who was bent upon a clandestine visit to the church.
“How stupid!” muttered Vane; but he gave a sharp glance round to see if he were observed before turning the key, and throwing open the door.
“Why didn’t he let me oil it?” he muttered, for the noise seemed to be twice as loud now, and after dragging out the key the noise was louder still, he thought, as he thrust to the door, and locked it on the inside.
Then, as he withdrew the key again, he hesitated and stood listening.
Everything look strange and dim, and he felt half disposed to draw back, but laughing to himself at his want of firmness, he ran up the winding stairs again, as fast as the worn stones would let him, passed the ringers’ chamber, and went on up to the locked door, which creaked dismally, as he threw it open. The next moment he was by the clock.
But he did not pause here. Drawing back into the winding staircase he ascended to where the bells hung, and had a good look at the one with the hammer by it—that on which the clock struck the hours—noted how green it was with verdigris, and then hurried down to the clock-chamber, took out his tools, pulled off his jacket and set to work.
For there was this peculiarity about the doctor’s nephew—that he gave the whole of his mind and energies to any mechanical task which took his fancy, and, consequently, there was neither mind nor energy left to bestow upon collateral circumstances.
Another boy would have had a thought for the consequences of what he was attempting—whether it was right for him to meddle, whether the rector would approve. Vane had not even the vestige of a thought on such matters. He could only see wheels and pinions taken out after the removal of certain screws, cleaned, oiled, put back, and the old clock pointing correctly to the time of day and, striking decently and in order, as a church clock should.