“I know’d: thou’d been winding her oop wi’ the kitchen poker, or some game o’ that sort, eh?”
“No, I only tried to clean the clock a little, and set it going again.”
“Ay, and left all ta wheels out. Haw—haw—haw!”
The miller’s laugh almost made the mill boards rattle.
“I say, don’t talk about it, Mr Round,” cried Vane; “and, really, I only forgot two.”
The miller roared again.
“On’y left out two! Hark at him! Why, ivery wheel has some’at to do wi’ works. Theer, I weant laugh at thee, lad, only don’t fetch us all oot o’ bed another night, thinking the whole plaace is being bont aboot our ears. Theer tak’ the boat when you like; you’re welcome enew.”
Vane went off in high glee, and that day he had long interviews with Wrench the carpenter, and the blacksmith, who promised to work out his ideas as soon as he gave them models or measurements, both declaring that they had some splendid “stooff” ready to “wuck off,” and Vane went back to his own place and gave every spare moment to his idea.
That propeller took exactly two months to make, for the workmen always made the parts entrusted to them either too short or too long, and in fact just as a cobbler would make a boot that ought to have been the work of a skilful veteran.
“It’s going to be a rum thing,” said Macey, who helped a great deal by strolling down from the rectory, sitting on a box, and drumming his heels on the side, while he made disparaging remarks, and said that the whole affair was sure to fail.