s soon as it was over,
Uncle Richard went into the next room, when Mrs Fidler seized upon the
opportunity to speak.

"I feel as if I must say it, Master Tom," she said, in a low tone of
voice, "and I know you won't tell your uncle, but I don't like Mr James
Brandon a bit, and I don't like his son; but if master will bring him
down there's nothing I won't do to try and make him well; and I do
assure you, Master Tom, that there's a deal more in good jellies and
very strong beef-tea than there is in doctors' stuff."

"They're much nicer," said Tom, smiling.

"Ah, but it isn't all that, sir; it's the strength there is in them.
Perhaps master might like me to go up and nurse his brother."

"No, I'm sure he would not," said Tom; and just then his uncle returned.

"Going to walk part of the way with me, Tom?" said Uncle Richard.

"I'm going to walk all the way with you, uncle, and carry your bag,"
said Tom; and ten minutes later they were on the road, chatting about
the telescope, and the next things to be done, so that the long walk to
the station was made to seem short. Then the train came steaming in,
and Uncle Richard stepped into his compartment.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to come, uncle, and tell him I
forgive him again?" whispered Tom, as he handed in the little black bag.

"Certain. I'll give your message. Good-bye."

The train glided away, and Tom started back for home with his mind busy
for a few minutes over the scene at Mornington Crescent; and then
thoughts flew on to the mill and into the future, when perhaps some far
greater telescope would be mounted, and nights occupied searching the
heavens.

Then Tom's thoughts came back to earth, and Pete Warboys' hole under the
great pine-tree, and he was still busy over that, and the great
gipsy-like boy's habits,--poaching, probably stealing, and making
himself a nuisance to everybody,--when he caught sight of the lad
himself peering into a patch of coppice evidently watching something,
that something proving to be the dog, which soon after leaped out into
the road.

Tom's footsteps had been silenced by the soft green turf which margined
the way, so that he was close up to the lad before he was noticed, and
then Pete gave a bound and shot into the coppice, followed by his dog;
but once more the dog turned back to give him a friendly bark.

"After no good, or he wouldn't have rushed away like that," thought Tom,
as he went on, reached the cottage