Brownsmith's Boy Part 62

"The doctor, my lad," said Mr Solomon.

"But I'm not ill," I said. "What was it? Did I fall into the water?"

"Foul air overcame you, my lad. How do you feel?"

"Yes, how do you feel?" said Mrs Solomon gently, as she took my hand.

"I'm all right," I said, sitting up, and this time I didn't feel giddy.

"Only something seems to hurt my chest."

"The rope cut you a bit, that's all. It will soon go off."

Through the open door I could see Ike standing watching me attentively, and as soon as he caught my eye he began to jerk his arm in the air as if he were crying "Hooray!"

Just then a head came slowly round the door-post, and I saw Shock staring in at me; but as soon as he saw that I was looking his head was s.n.a.t.c.hed back.

"How is he now?" said the plumber, coming to the door.

"Oh, I am quite well," I said, in an irritable tone that was new to me, and I got up; "I'm going out now."

"You're well out of it, my lad," said the plumber. "I knowed a case once where five chaps went down one after the other to save him as had gone first, and they all fell to the bottom and died."

"There, for goodness' sake, man, don't talk like that to the lad after what he has gone through," said Mrs Solomon.

"All right, mum," said the plumber; "but as I was going to say, I don't think I shall have the heart to go down today, but I'll see how the air is whether or no."

"You're not going out," said Mrs Solomon.

"Yes, please; it will do me good," I said; and the air did seem to refresh me, as I followed them back to the well, where the plumber tried it again by lowering down the lighted candle, to find it burn brightly till it was down by the cross piece on which young Dalton had lain, after which it went out directly.

He tried it again and again, always with the same result.

"It's got lower and lower," he said. "By to-morrow there won't be much in. That young gent couldn't have been overcome by the bad air," he continued. "It's my belief as he fell out of being frightened, and it's lucky for him that he stopped where he did. If he'd gone a foot lower, that doctor wouldn't have brought him round."

"Well," said Mr Solomon rather impatiently, "what are you going to do?"

"Kiver up the well for to-day, and come on tomorrow."

"But we want water."

"Can't help it; I couldn't go down and work there to-day. My nerves is shook."

"Suppose we put a rope round you."

"Bless your heart, Mr Brownsmith, sir, I couldn't go down if you put two ropes round me. I'm just going to lift out this here ladder, and then p'r'aps your man will help me put on the stone."

Mr Solomon grunted, and I looked on, s.h.i.+vering a little in spite of the hot suns.h.i.+ne as I saw the ladder lifted out and laid down beside the path by Ike, after which Mr Solomon himself helped to put the stone back in its place before walking with the plumber towards the gate.

"How was it all, Ike?" I said eagerly.

"Oh, you'd better ask young Shock here."

Shock, who was in a stiff suit of corduroys, looked at him sharply, spun round, and ran off.

"Y'ever see the likes o' him?" said Ike chuckling. "Puts me in mind of a scared dog, he do, reg'lar."

"But tell me," I said; "how was it? I don't remember."

"Well, it were like this, you see," said Ike. "I were holding the rope tightly and watching of you, and I see you slip on the noose, and tightened it, and then all at once I shouted to the others, 'Hook on,' I says, 'it's got him.'

"I was on the watch for it, you see, and ready, and hauled at once.

Thank goodness, I am strong in the arm if I ain't in the head. So I hauled, and they hauled, and so had you both up a few feet directly, one at each end of the rope, and you two couldn't be civil to each other even then, but must get quarrelling."

"Quarrelling! Nonsense, Ike! I was insensible, and so was he."

"I don't care; you was quarrelling and got yourselves tangled up together, and the rope twissen round and round under one of them bits o'

wood as goes acrost."

"Yes, I know," I said excitedly, for the thought made me shudder.

"Well, there you was; and the more you was pulled the tighter you was, just below the bottom of the ladder."

"And what did you do, Ike?"

"Well, I was going down, and was about handing the ropes to Old Brownsmith's brother, when young Shock hops in on to the ladder like a wild monkey a'most. Down he goes chattering like anything, and it was no use to shout to him to have a rope. Afore we knowed it a'most, he was down and lying flat on his stum. 'Lower a bit,' he shouts, and we lowered, and he untwisted you two and guided you both clear, and stopped till you were both out, when he came out whistling as if nothing was the matter."

"A brave fellow!" I cried warmly.

"That's what I said," cried Ike; "but the plumber said it was because he didn't know there was any danger."

"Well, Ike, what then?"

"Oh, there's no more to tell, only that Sir Francis come and a doctor was fetched, and the guv'nor said it would be a warning to them two boys; and young shaver who went down's up at home getting all right, and you've got all right, and that's all."

That was not all, for I went down the garden--and found Shock, to thank him for what he had done, but he only turned his back on me and then walked away; while, feeling faint, I turned to go up to the cottage and lie down till the sick sensation had gone off.

I had gone about a dozen yards, when, _thump_! a worm-eaten baking pear, half-grown, hit me on the back, and I did not need telling that it was thrown by Shock.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

AT THE SAND-PIT.

The plumber came and repaired the pump next day, going down the well with a couple of men to hold the rope he had round his waist, and I heard Mr Solomon grumbling and laughing a good deal about the care he was taking.

"If he does meet with an accident, Grant," he said, "it won't be his fault this time. Why, you look poorly, my lad. Don't you feel well?"