As you say, I found that they'd been at Piter again. The poor
dog has been drugged, and that must mean something wrong."

Sure enough, poor Piter lay fast asleep and breathing heavily; but after
our last experience we did not feel so despondent about bringing him to
again, so, leaving him in his kennel where he had crept, we roused Uncle
Dick and told him.

"We can't look round now," he said. "The men are coming in to their
work, but we shall soon hear if there is anything wrong. The bands
again, I expect."

Just then we heard the noise made by the drawing of the sluice, the
wheel went plashing round, the shaft rumbled, connections were being
made, and in a very few minutes the first grindstone was sending forth
its loud churring noise.

Then there was more and more, and at last the works were in full swing.

"There's nothing wrong, then, with the bands," said Uncle Dick; and then
we waited, wondering what trick had been played, till about an hour had
passed, during which the same remedies as were tried before were put
into force with poor old Piter, and he recovered sufficiently to wag his
tail.

Just about that time Uncle Jack arrived, and was put in possession of
our fresh trouble.

"And you can find nothing wrong?" he said.

"Nothing."

"Have you looked under the desks, and in the cupboards?"

"We've quietly searched everywhere," replied Uncle Bob earnestly.

"Then we must go on as usual," said Uncle Jack. "There, you two go
home: Cob and I will chance the risks."

"It may have been an attempt to get rid of the dog," I said, "and
nothing more."

"That's what I've been thinking," said Uncle Jack; and soon after we
were left alone.

Towards mid-day I went down to have a chat with Pannell, and to ask him
how he had got on during his long illness.

"Tidy," he said sourly. "There was the club helped me, but the mesters
did most."

"What! My uncles?"

"Ay, didn't you know?" he cried, busying himself about lighting a
smaller forge at the back of the first.

I shook my head.

"Paid me pound a-week all the time I was badly, my lad."

"And very kind of them too," I said warmly.

"Ay, 'twas. Felt at times, lad, as if I warn't worth the money, that I
did."

Just then Stevens made his appearance, crossing from the grinders' shop
to one of the smithies at the end; and as he went along at some distance
I saw him look curiously over at where I was standing talking to
Pannell.

"Theer it is ag