“Well, sir,” said the vanman, “I never see such a job.”
Gideon eloquently expressed his concurrence in this sentiment by pressing a couple of sovereigns in the man’s hand.
“Make it three, sir, and I’ll stand Sam to everybody here!” cried the latter, and this having been done, the whole body of volunteer porters swarmed into the van, which drove off in the direction of the nearest reliable public-house. Gideon closed the door on their departure, and turned to Julia; their eyes met; the most uncontrollable mirth seized upon them both, and they made the house ring with their laughter. Then curiosity awoke in Julia’s mind, and she went and examined the box, and more especially the label.
“This is the strangest thing that ever happened,” she said, with another burst of laughter. “It is certainly Morris’s handwriting, and I had a letter from him only this morning, telling me to expect a barrel. Is there a barrel coming too, do you think, Mr. Forsyth?”
“‘Statuary with Care, Fragile,’” read Gideon aloud from the painted warning on the box. “Then you were told nothing about this?”
“No,” responded Julia. “O, Mr. Forsyth, don’t you think we might take a peep at it?”
“Yes, indeed,” cited Gideon. “Just let me have a hammer.”
“Come down, and I’ll show you where it is,” cried Julia. “The shelf is too high for me to reach“; and, opening the door of the kitchen stair, she bade Gideon follow her. They found both the hammer and a chisel; but Gideon was surprised to see no sign of a servant. He also discovered that Miss Hazeltine had a very pretty little foot and ankle; and the discovery embarrassed him so much that he was glad to fall at once upon the packing-case.
He worked hard and earnestly, and dealt his blows with the precision of a blacksmith; Julia the while standing silently by his side, and regarding rather the workman than the work. He was a handsome fellow; she told herself she had never seen such beautiful arms. And suddenly, as though he had overheard these thoughts, Gideon turned and smiled to her. She, too, smiled and coloured; and the double change became her so prettily that Gideon forgot to turn away his eyes, and, swinging the hammer with a will, discharged a smashing blow on his own knuckles. With admirable presence of mind he crushed down an oath and substituted the harmless comment, “Butter fingers!” But the pain was sharp, his nerve was shaken, and after an abortive trial he found he must desist from further operations.
In a moment Julia was off to the pantry; in a moment she was back again with a basin of water and a sponge, and had begun to bathe his wounded hand.