Nora put her pretty lips to her grandmother’s ear and gave the desired information, whereupon the old lady looked solemnly at her spouse, and laying her hand on the dictionary, said, with strong though quivering emphasis: “now, John, mark my words, I ’ave a settled conviction that that light’ouse will come to a bad end. It’s sure to be burnt or blow’d over.”
Having given vent to which prophecy, she relapsed into herself and appeared to ruminate on it with peculiar satisfaction.
“And what’s the name of the architect?” demanded John.
“Smeaton,” replied Teddy Maroon.
“Never heerd of ’im before,” returned John.
“No more did I,” said Teddy.
The two friends appeared to find food for meditation in this point of ignorance, for they fell into a state of silence for a few minutes, which was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Mr Thomas Potter. He looked a little wearied as he sat down beside his mother, whose face lighted up with an expression of intense delight as she said, “Come away, Tommy, where have you been, my boy?”
“I’ve been out on the sea, mother, after mischief as usual,” replied Tommy, whose bald head and wrinkled brow repudiated, while his open hearty smile appeared to justify, the juvenile name.
“What! they ’aven’t engaged you on the noo light’ouse, ’ave they?” said old Martha, in horror.
“No, no, mother, don’t fear that,” said her son, hastening to relieve her mind, “but you know the new engineer is gathering information from all quarters, and he naturally applied to me, because I am of his own profession and have known and studied the rock since I was a little boy.”