"It's better you should have the whole," he said; "without a bit of warning we saw the roof overhanging the 'Lab'—laboratory, of course, I mean—waver, and then fall, and we screamed to King to look out; it wouldn't have done any good if he had heard, for the chimney toppled, and some bricks knocked him over, and then he saw it coming and kept Pip underneath."
Ben's hand had fallen from the jacket collar to his side, and he didn't seem to breathe.
"You are to come. Mr. King wants you." Somebody reached through the crowd of boys, and drew him off and away.
VIII
"ANY ONE WHO WANTS TO PLEASE JASPER," SAID BEN, "HAD BETTER TAKE UP THIS CHAP"
And the first thing Ben knew, he was being hurried over the stairs and into Master Presbrey's big library. There stood Grandpapa, and, wonder of wonders, with a smile on his face!
"You are to see Jasper," said the old gentleman, briefly.
Ben staggered back, it was all so sudden, and stared up at the one the boys had called "Dr. Smith" standing near.
"Yes," said the gentleman, "he has asked for you." And without further ado Ben was piloted into the back room, and there, looking eagerly toward the door, was Jasper in the big bed and propped up with pillows.