mly-seen chaos of bricks, mortar, broken crockery, and upset kitchen
furniture.

"A pound of powder at least," cried the doctor, who then began to sneeze
violently, the place being full of steam, and dust caused by the ceiling
having been pretty well stripped of plaster. "Here, cook--Eliza--where
are you?"

"Oh, master, master, master!"

"Help!--help!--help!"

Two wild appeals for aid from the back kitchen, where the copper was
set, and into which uncle and nephew hurried, expecting to find the two
maids half buried in _debris_. But, to the surprise of both, that
office was quite unharmed, and cook was seated in a big Windsor chair,
sobbing hysterically, while Eliza was on the floor, screaming faintly
with her apron held over her face.

"How could you be so foolish!--how much powder?--where did you get it?--
where are you hurt?" rattled out the doctor breathlessly.

"Anything the matter, cook?" said Bruff, coming to the door.

"Matter? Yes," cried the doctor, growing cool again. "Here, help me
lift Eliza into a chair."

"No, no, don't touch me; I shall fall to pieces," sobbed the maid
wildly.

"Nonsense! Here, let me see where you are hurt," continued the doctor,
as Eliza was lifted carefully.

"Oh, Master Vane--oh, Master Vane! Is it the end of the world?" groaned
cook, as the lad took one of her hands, and asked her where she was
injured.

"No, no," cried Vane. "Tell me where you are harmed."

"I don't know--I don't know--I don't know," moaned the trembling woman,
beginning in a very high tone and ending very low. "It's all over--It's
all over now."

"Give her water," said the doctor. "She's hysterical. Here, cook," he
cried sternly, "how came you to bring powder into the house?"

"I don't know--I don't know--I don't know," moaned the trembling woman.
"Oh, master, give me something. Don't let me die just yet."

"Die! nonsense!" cried the doctor. "Be quiet, Eliza. Hang it, women, I
can't do anything if you cry out like this. Wherever are you hurt?
You, Eliza, speak."

His firm way had its effect; and as Bruff and Vane stood looking on, the
maid faltered:--

"I was a-doing the breakfast-room, sir, when it went off; and, soon as I
heered cook scream, I tried to get to her, but had to go round by the
back."

"Did you know she was going to blow up the copper hole with gunpowder?"

"No, sir. Last time I see her, she was lighting the kitchen-fire."

"What!" yelled Vane.

"Yes, sir,