Menhardoc Part 35

"Copper and zinc mixed."

"Not copper and tin?"

"Copper and tin, sir, make fine bronze, same as the ancient people used to hammer for swords and spears; but I can't understand, sir, why two soft metals like copper and tin should make a hard one when they are mixed."

"And I cannot explain it to you," said Mr Temple smiling.

"Are we going to stop here long?" said Arthur impatiently.

"Oh? don't go yet," cried d.i.c.k, laughing; "I want to hear Will say his miner's catechism."

"Oh! very well," said Mr Temple, smiling. "What is mundic, then, my lad?"

"A mussy me! as if every lad here didn't know what mundic was!" cried Josh to himself; but he spoke loud enough for the others to hear.

"Well, what is mundic, then?" said Mr Temple quickly to Josh.

"What's mundic?" growled Josh, picking up a yellow metallic-looking piece of rock; "why, that is, and that is, and that is. There's tons of it everywhere."

"To be sure there is, my man; but what is it?" said Mr Temple.

"Well, ain't I showing of you!" growled Josh. "This here's mundic."

"The gentleman means what is it made of?" whispered Will, and then he added two or three words.

"Why, how should I know? Made of! 'Tain't made of anything, nor more ar'n't tin. I suppose it grows."

"Do you know?" said Mr Temple.

"I think so, sir," said Will modestly; "sulphur and iron."

"Let's go on now," said Arthur; "I want to fish."

"Stop and learn something, my boy," said Mr Temple sternly.

"Oh! go on, please," cried d.i.c.k, who was delighted to find so much knowledge in his new friend.

"What is this, then?" said Mr Temple, picking up a whitish metallic-looking piece of mineral.

"I don't know exactly, sir," said Will eagerly; "but I think it is partly antimony and partly silver."

"Quite right again, my lad," cried Mr Temple, clapping Will upon the shoulder of his fish-scaly blue jersey; "a great deal of antimony, and there is sulphur and iron too, I think, in this piece."

"This must have come out of the working above there," cried Will eagerly.

"Undoubtedly, my lad."

"I didn't know that there had been a mine here," said Will.

"Or you would have had a look at it before now, eh?"

"Yes, sir," said Will, colouring.

"We'll go and have a look at it now," said Mr Temple; "but I don't think we shall find anything of much good."

"Here, papa, what's this?" cried Arthur eagerly. "This must be gold."

"Copper," cried Will. "Then there is copper here too!"

"Yes, that is copper," said Mr Temple, examining and re-fracturing a glistening piece of stone full of purple and gold reflections, with touches of blue and crimson. "Peac.o.c.k ore some people call it. Now, let's have a climb. Or stop, let's have a look at that cave. I should not wonder if the adit is there."

"Beggin' yer pardon, sir," said Josh respectfully, "I don't think as I'd go in there, if I was you."

"Why not?" said Mr Temple, as he stood just inside the rugged cavern, whose mouth was fringed with sea-ferns.

"Well, you see, sir, they say gashly things about these here old zorns."

"What sort of things, Josh?" cried d.i.c.k. "Wild beasts in 'em?"

"Well, no, Master Ditchard, sir," said Josh, who was confused as to the proper way of using the names d.i.c.k and Richard; "not wild beasts here."

"You must go two miles farther," said Will, "and we can show you the seal-caves."

"With seals in them?" cried Richard.

"Oh, yes, plenty," said Will. "Josh thinks there is something unpleasant lives in these zorns."

"No, not exactly lives," said Josh, hesitating; "and don't you get making game of 'em, young fellow," he added, turning to Will. "Them as is a deal older than us wouldn't go in 'em to save their lives."

"Why, what is there in the cave, my man?" said Mr Temple.

"Oh! I shouldn't like to say, sir," said Josh, gazing furtively into the darksome hole in the rock.

"But you are not afraid?"

"Afraid, sir! Oh, no, I'm not afraid; but I don't think it's right to go in and disturb what's there."

"Ah, well, d.i.c.k, we'll go," said Mr Temple; "and we must apologise if the occupants object."

"I wouldn't go, really, sir," protested Josh.

"You can stay behind, my man," said Mr Temple.

"Then don't take Master d.i.c.k, sir. You see he's so young."

"My son can stay outside if he likes," said Mr Temple in a tone of voice that made d.i.c.k tighten himself up and fasten the lower, b.u.t.ton of his jacket.

"There," said Mr Temple as he closed his lanthorn and held it up; "now we shall see."