“Yes, uncle, a little,” said Vane, who looked as if he had commenced training for a chimney-sweep; “just a little. I shan’t want any excuse for not going to the rectory for a few days.”
“Humph!” muttered the doctor, as Mr Deering hurried into the smoke to fetch out his drawings and plans; “next guest who comes to my house had better not be an inventor.” Then aloud: “But what does this mean, Vane, lad, are you right?”
“Right?—yes,” cried Deering, reappearing with his blackened plans, which he bore into the dining-room, and then, regardless of his sooty state, he caught the doctor’s hands in his and shook them heartily before turning to Aunt Hannah, who was looking despondently at her ruined drawing-room.
“Never mind the damage, Mrs Lee,” he cried, as he seized her hands. “It’s a trifle. I’ll furnish your drawing-room again.”
“Oh, Mr Deering,” she said, half-tearfully, half in anger, “I do wish you would stop in town.”
“Hannah, my dear!” cried the doctor. Then, turning to Deering: “But; look here, has Vane found out what was wrong?”
“Found out?” cried Deering, excitedly; “why, his sharp young eyes detected the one little bit of grit in the wheel that stopped the whole of the works. Lee, my dear old friend, I can look you triumphantly in the face again, and say that your money is not lost, for I can return it, tenfold—Do you hear, Mrs Lee, tenfold, twentyfold, if you like; and as for you—You black-looking young rascal!” he cried, turning and seizing Vane’s hand, “if you don’t make haste and grow big enough to become my junior partner, why I must take you while you are small.”
“Oh, oh!” shouted Vane; “my hands, my hands!”
“And mine too,” said Deering, releasing Vane’s hands to examine his own. “Yes, I thought I had burned my fingers before, but I really have this time. Doctor, I place myself and my future partner in your hands.”
Aunt Hannah forgot her blackened and singed hearthrugs and broken lamp as soon as she realised that there was real pain and suffering on the way, and busily aided the doctor as he bathed and bandaged the rather ugly burns on Vane’s and Mr Deering’s hands. And at last, the smoke having been driven out, all were seated once more, this time in the dining-room, listening to loud remarks from Martha on the stairs, as she declared that she was sure they would all be burned in their beds, and that she always knew how it would be—remarks which continued till Aunt Hannah went out, and then there was a low buzzing of voices, and all became still.