“Oh, I don’t know. Well, perhaps. Here, come along, or we shan’t get done to-day.”
They did not get done that day; in fact they had hardly begun when it was time to leave off; and though there was plenty of fun and joking and banging together of pieces of iron-pipe and noise which brought out the doctor to see, and Aunt Hannah in a state of nervousness to make sure that nobody was hurt, Vane did not enjoy his work, for he could not help glancing at his dirty hands, and asking himself whether Distin was not right. And at these times his fellow-pupil’s fastidiously clean hands and unruffled, prim and dandified aspect came before him, making him feel resolved to be more particular as to the character of the hobbies he rode.
At parting, when Gilmore and Macey were taking leave after a visit to Vane’s room and a plenteous application of soap and nail-brushes, in spite of their declaration that they had had a jolly day, their leader—their foreman of the works, as Gilmore called him—had quite made up his mind that he would let the bricklayer and blacksmith finish the job. In consequence of his resolve, he was up by six o’clock next morning when the men came, meaning to superintend, but he soon lapsed, and was as busy as either of them.
Vane fully expected a severe encounter with Martha apropos of her kitchen-fire being left unlit, and the litter of brick and mortar rubbish made by the bricklayer; but to his surprise the cook did not come into the kitchen, and during breakfast Vane asked why this was.
“Aunt’s diplomancy,” said the doctor, merrily.
“No, no, my dear. Your uncle’s,” cried Aunt Hannah.
“Ah, well, halves,” cried the doctor. “Martha wanted a holiday to visit her friends, and she started last night for two days. Can you get the boiler set and all right for Mrs Bruff to clean up before Martha comes back?”
“You must, my dear, really,” cried Aunt Hannah. “You must.”
“Oh, very well, aunt, if the bricklayer will only work well, it shall be done.”
“Thank you, my dear, for really I should not dare to meet Martha if everything were not ready; and pray, pray, my dear, see that nothing is done to interfere with her kitchen-fire.”