The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Vast Abyss, by George Manville Fenn

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Title: The Vast Abyss
The Story of Tom Blount, his Uncles and his Cousin Sam

Author: George Manville Fenn

Illustrator: W.H. Overend

Release Date: September 27, 2009 [EBook #30106]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VAST ABYSS ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Vast Abyss, by George Manville Fenn.

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This is one of the very best books by GM Fenn. It has a good steady
pace, yet one is constantly wondering how some dreadful situation is to
be got out of. The hero is young Tom, whose father had been a doctor
who had died in some recent epidemic, which had also carried off his
mother. Tom has been taken into the house and law business of an
uncle, but he does not seem to be getting on well there. Another uncle
visits, and takes Tom back with him, giving him a much pleasanter and
more interesting life. Together they convert an old windmill into an
astronomical observatory, which means grinding the glass lenses and
mirrors, as well as bringing the structure of the building up to the
required standard. In this they are encouraged by the daily visits of
the vicar, while the housekeeper, Mrs Fidler, and the old gardener, make
various remarks on the sidelines. However, there is a boy in the
village whose behaviour is not good at all, and many of the episodes in
the story are concerned with him, his dog, and their deeds.

Not wishing to spoil the story for you, we will simply say that there
is another issue involving the legal uncle, and his rather nasty son.
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THE VAST ABYSS, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.

CHAPTER ONE.

"I wish I wasn't such a fool!"

Tom Blount said this to himself as he balanced that self upon a high
stool at a desk in his uncle's office in Gray's Inn. There was a big
book lying open, one which he had to study, but it did not interest him;
and though he tried very hard to keep his attention fixed upon its
learned words, invaluabl