r still, Sep, higher, higher," the doctor kept on saying; and we
tilted it more and more; but still nothing came till, just as we were
about to turn it upside down, there was a flash of something bright and
silvery, and a tiny drop of fluid metal ran out on to the mould, and
down the side.

"That's it. Up with it, Sep. A little more this side. Now then."

Up went the bottom of the pot higher still, and out came a little rush
of glowing charcoal, and directly after a bit of heavy clinker, and that
was all.

"Oh, I say, doctor," I cried, "what a pity!"

"Pity, my lad! I don't think so. Here, let me do it."

He lifted up the piece of hard clinker and set it upon the slate slabs
by itself, and then taking hold of the mould with the tongs, he raised
it and gave it a tap or two on the floor, to get rid of the feather ash,
and I could see that there was what seemed to be a piece of thin lead
beginning in a sort of splash running to the edge in a thread, then down
the side of the mould, to finish off in a little round fat button of
metal.

"Hah! I don't think we've done so badly after all, Sep," he said, as he
placed the mould upon the table; "but first of all, brush those embers
lightly aside, and let's see if there is anything left."

I took a wisp of birch and did as I was told, but there was nothing to
be seen, and when the doctor took the pot out into the yard, and
carefully examined it, he found nothing there, and brought the little
clay vessel back.

"You must take care of that pot, Sep," he said. "It is nothing to look
at, but a thing which will stand fire in that way may prove valuable.
Now, then, my lad, bring that bit of refuse, and we will go in and have
some dinner. These things will be quite cool by the time we have done."

We carried our treasures into the parlour, and, to Kicksey's great
delight, had a wash and our dinner, while she obtained leave to clear
away what she was pleased to call our "mess."

But the doctor did not let the dinner pass without carefully examining
the rugged piece of metal and the button, and then the piece of refuse,
the remains of the broken-up specimen.

For my part I was not at all dazzled by the result of our experiment,
and at last, with my mouth full of jam and bread and cream, I said:

"But that's only a shabby little bit to get out of all those bits I
broke up, isn't it, sir?"

"Do you think so, Sep?" he replied smiling.

"Yes, sir!"

"Well, I think qu