blackened--a very mass of smoking and steaming
timbers.

"I say, Josh," said Will, "only look here! If the fire had got a little
more hold and the wind had come more strongly down, the flames would
have swept everything before them: the mill would have been like a
burnt-out bonfire."

"Yes," said Josh; "and the house must have gone too."

"How horrid! But I say, why hasn't old Boil O been back?"

The man had his own reasons. Not only did he not show himself again
after his work was done, but when in the course of the morning,
impatient at his non-appearance, his employer left the busy scene where
a clearance of the ruined part was going on, and walked up to the
cottage with the Vicar, it was only to catch a momentary glimpse of the
man they sought, as he glided across his garden and made for the woods,
utterly avoiding all advances made by those who wished him well; and
instead of the breach being closed by his conduct, the wound purified by
the fire, his rage against his master and all friendly to the mill
seemed to burn more fiercely than ever.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

DOINGS IN THE DALE.

"It's no use to bother," said Josh, when the state of affairs was being
canvassed. "Father says there's only one cure for it."

"What's that?" said Will.

"Time."

"I think," said Will, speaking seriously, "that your father, as he's a
clergyman, ought to give old Boil O a good talking to."

"What!" cried Josh. "Why, he's been to the cottage nearly every day,
trying to get the old man to listen; but it only makes him more wild.
Father says that he shall give it up now, and let him come to his
senses."

"Yes, I suppose that's best," said Will. "Everybody's been at him. Old
Manners says he got him one evening at the bottom of the garden, but, as
soon as he began to speak, old Boil O turned upon him so fiercely that
he had to cut away."

"Oh, yes, of course, I'm going to believe that!" said Josh. "Manners
wouldn't run away from a dozen of him."

"Well," cried Will, "he pretty well startled me when I had a try. I'm
not going to do it any more, I can tell you."

"My father's right," said Josh. "It only wants time."

But time went on, and the work-people from the nearest town were hard at
work day by day rebuilding and restoring, so that by degrees the traces
of the late fire began to disappear, while new woodwork, beams, boards
and rafters, bearing ruddy, bright new tiles, gave promise that within
another thr