Richard. "Yes, I'm very sorry we had
such a mishap."

"Never mind," said the Vicar; "it will give our little glazier a job.
And now I feel rested and better, so good-evening, I'm going home."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

Tom gave proof of his readiness a few days later, when the broken
windows had been replaced, fresh solutions made, and the village had
again calmed down to its regular natural state of repose; for, upon his
uncle proposing that they should proceed at once to silver the big
speculum, he eagerly went off to the workshop to get all ready for his
uncle's coming.

Short as the distance was though, he did not get away without
encountering Pete, who hurried up to the wall to shout over at him--

"I know. Yer did shoot at me, but I shan't forget it, so look out."

Then hearing some one coming from the cottage, he ducked down like a
wild animal seeking concealment, and hurried away.

Then the whole process was gone through to the smallest minutiae, and
only an hour after the silvered face of the mirror was deluged with
rain-water, and uncle and nephew gazed in triumph at their work, for
there was no sign of greyish-drab powder about the mirror, and it was so
bright that polishing seemed unnecessary.

The next day it was polished, till by a side light it looked black,
while in face it was a brilliant looking-glass ready to reflect the
faintest stars; and after being put away securely, the great tube was
set about, and in due time this was lightly and strongly made of long
laths hooped together. A shallow tray was contrived deep enough to hold
the speculum, and fitted with screws, so that it could be secured to one
end. Next followed the fitting of a properly-constructed eye-piece from
a London optician, contrived so that it looked at right angles into a
small reflector, which also had to be carefully fixed in the axis of the
great speculum.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

"What's the matter, Tom?" said Uncle Richard one day, as they were busy
at work over the telescope, and Tom was scratching his head.

"There's nothing the matter, uncle, only I'm a bit puzzled."

"What about?"

"Over this great glass. It's going to be so different to the old one."

"Of course; that is a refractor, and this is going to be a reflector."

"Yes, uncle, but it seems so queer. The refractor is a tube made so
that you can look through it, but the reflector will be, if you are
right, so that you can't look through it, bec