Maister Ned," Bill said, "where didst thou get that powder, and
why didn't ye say nowt about it? Oi ha' seen it up in the office, now
oi thinks on it. Oi wondered what them barrels piled up in a corner and
covered over wi' sacking could be; but it warn't no business o' mine to
ax."

"No, Bill, I did not want any of them to know about it, because these
things get about, and half the effect is lost unless they come as a
surprise; but I meant to do it if I had been driven to it, and if I had,
King Lud would have had a lesson which he would not have forgotten in
a hurry. Now, Luke, you and Bill had better help me carry them back to
their usual place. I don't think they are likely to be wanted again."

"That they won't be," Luke said confidently; "the Luddites ull never
come near this mill agin, not if thou hast twenty toimes as many
machines. They ha' got a froight they won't get over. They told me as
how some of the chaps at Varley was so freighted that they will be a
long toime afore they gets round. Oi'll go and ask tonight how that
Methurdy chap, the blacksmith, be a feeling. Oi reckon he's at the
bottom on it. Dang un for a mischievous rogue! Varley would ha' been
quiet enough without him. Oi be wrong if oi shan't see him dangling from
a gibbet one of these days, and a good riddance too."

The powder was stowed away before the hands began to arrive, all full of
wonder and curiosity. They learned little at the mill, however. Ned went
about the place as usual with an unchanged face, and the hands were soon
at their work; but many during the day wondered how it was possible that
their quiet and silent young employer should have been the hero of
the desperate act of which every one had heard reports more or less
exaggerated.

A lad had been sent over to Marsden the first thing for some carpenters,
and by nightfall a rough but strong door had been hung in place of that
which had been shattered. By the next day rumor had carried the tale all
over Marsden, and Ned on his return home was greeted by Charlie with:

"Why, Ned, there is all sorts of talk in the place of an attack upon the
mill the night before last. Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Yes, Maister Ned," Abijah put in, "and they say as you blew up about a
thousand of them."

"Yes, Abijah," Ned said with a laugh, "and the pieces haven't come down
yet."

"No! but really, Ned, what is it all about?"

"There is not much to tell you, Charlie. The Luddites cam