fired up," growled Pannell
sourly, as he scowled round at the little crowd of men; "but they missed
me that time."

Uncle Jack had a good look round the place, and the workmen stared at us
as if in full expectation of being taken to task as the cause of the
explosion.

I watched their faces cautiously in search of a look of regret, but the
only peculiar expression I could see was on the countenance of Stevens,
who stood softly rolling up his shirt-sleeves closer and closer to his
shoulders, and there was such a curious smile in his eyes that he
inspired me with a thought.

"Oh, if I have been deceived in him!"

That was my thought. For I seemed to see at a glance that he had known
the explosion would take place, and that the talk about the dog was an
excuse to get me away and save me from the consequences.

Just then Uncle Jack turned round to me and laid his hand on my
shoulder.

"Look here," he said quietly, as if he were showing me a curiosity, but
loud enough for all the men to hear--"down in the south of England, my
boy, when a workman is disliked it generally comes to a settlement with
fists, and there is a fair, honest, stand-up fight. Down here in
Arrowfield, Jacob, when another workman does something to offend his
fellows--"

"Traade," shouted a voice.

"To offend his fellow-workmen," repeated Uncle Jack.

"Traade," shouted the voice again, and there was a murmur of assent.

"Well, have it your own way," said Uncle Jack. "To offend the trade,
they try to blind him for life by filling his forge with powder, so that
it may explode in his face. Jacob, my lad, next time I go anywhere, and
hear people talk about what brave strong manly fellows the Englishmen
are, I shall recommend them to come down and stay in Arrowfield for a
month and see what is done."

There was a low murmur among the men; but we did not stop to listen, and
they all returned to their work except Pannell, who went down to the dam
and bathed his eyes, after which he went as coolly as could be back to
his smithy, took a shovel and borrowed some glowing fire from the next
forge, lit up his own, and was soon after hammering his funnel chimney
back in its place, and working up rods of steel as if nothing whatever
had been amiss.

About the middle of the afternoon, though, he came up through the
workshop straight to the office, with his hammer in his hand, and gave a
loud thump at the door.

I opened it and admitted him; for I was