Read Ebook: Simple Poems for Infant Minds by Anonymous

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Ebook has 218 lines and 5619 words, and 5 pages

"Very good. I'm agreeable," said my father. "Sit down, Jacob."

I darted a grateful look at my uncles, spreading it round so that they all had a glance, and dropped back into my seat.

"Well," said my father, "am I to speak?"

"Yes."

This was in chorus; and my father sat thinking for a few minutes, during which I exchanged looks and nods with my uncles, all of which was very satisfactory.

"Well," said my father at last, "to put it in short, plain English, we four have each our little capital embarked in our works."

Here there were three nods.

"We've all tried everything we knew to make the place a success, but year after year goes by and we find ourselves worse off. In three more bad years we shall be ruined."

"And Jacob will have to set to work and keep us all," said Uncle Dick.

My father looked round at me and nodded, smiling sadly, and I could see that he was in great trouble.

"Here is our position, then, boys: Grandison and Company are waiting for our answer in Bermondsey. They'll buy everything as it stands at a fair valuation; that's one half. The other is: the agents at Arrowfield are waiting also for our answer about the works to let there."

Here he paused for a few moments and then went on:

"We must look the matter full in the face. If we stay as we are the trade is so depreciating that we shall be ruined. If we go to Arrowfield we shall have to begin entirely afresh; to fight against a great many difficulties; the workmen there are ready to strike, to turn upon you and destroy."

Uncle Dick made believe to spit in his hands.

"To commit outrages."

Uncle Jack tucked up his sleeves.

"And ratten and blow up."

Uncle Bob half took off his coat.

"In short, boys, we shall have a terribly hard fight; but there is ten times the opening there, and we may make a great success. That is our position, in short," said my father. "What do you say?"

My three uncles looked hard at him and then at one another, seemed to read each other's eyes, and turned back to him.

"You're oldest, Alick, and head of the firm," said Uncle Dick; "settle it."

"No," said my father, "it shall be settled by you three."

"I know what I think," said Uncle Jack; "but I'd rather you'd say."

"My mind's made up," said Uncle Bob, "but I don't want to be speaker. You settle it, Alick."

"No," said my father; "I have laid the case before you three, who have equal stakes in the risk, and you shall settle the matter."

There was a dead silence in the room, which was so still that the sputtering noise made by the big lamp and the tinkle of a few cinders that fell from the fire sounded painfully loud. They looked at each other, but no one spoke, till Uncle Dick had fidgeted about in his chair for some time, and then, giving his big beard a twitch, he bent forward.

I heard my other uncles sigh as if they were relieved, and they sat back farther in their seats listening for what Uncle Dick, who was the eldest, might wish to say.

"Look here," he cried at last.

Everybody did look there, but saw nothing but Uncle Dick, who kept tugging at one lock of his beard, as if that was the string that would let loose a whole shower-bath of words.

"Well!" he said, and there was another pause.

"Here," he cried, as if seized by a sudden fit of inspiration, "let's hear what Cob has to say."

"Bravo! Hear, hear, hear!" cried my two uncles in chorus, and Uncle Dick smiled and nodded and looked as if he felt highly satisfied with himself; while I, with a face that seemed to be all on fire, jumped up excitedly and cried:

"Let's all go and begin again."

"That's it--that settles it," cried Uncle Bob.

"Yes, yes," said Uncle Dick and Uncle Jack. "He's quite right. We'll go."

Then all three beat upon the table with book and pencil and compasses, and cried, "Hear, hear, hear!" while I shrank back into my chair, and felt half ashamed of myself as I glanced at my father and wondered whether he was angry on account of what I had proposed.

"That is settled then," he said quietly. "Jacob has been your spokesman; and now let me add my opinion that you have taken the right course. What I propose is this, that one of us stays and carries on the business here till the others have got the Arrowfield affair in full swing. Who will stay?"

There was no answer.

"Shall I?" said my father.

"Yes, if you will," they chorused.

"Very good," said my father. "I am glad to do so, for that will give me plenty of time to make arrangements for Jacob here."

"But he must go with us," said Uncle Dick.

"Yes, of course," said Uncle Jack.

"Couldn't go without him."

"But his education as an engineer?"

"Now, look here, Alick," said Uncle Dick, "don't you think he'll learn as much with us down at the new works as in any London place?"

My father sat silent and thoughtful, while I watched the play of his countenance and trembled as I saw how he was on the balance. For it would have been terrible to me to have gone away now just as a new life of excitement and adventure was opening out.

"Do you really feel that you would like Jacob to go with you?" said my father at last.

There was a unanimous "Yes!" at this, and my heart gave a jump.

"Well, then," said my father, "he shall go."

That settled the business, except a general shaking of hands, for we were all delighted, little thinking, in our innocence, of the troubles, the perils, and the dangers through which we should have to go.

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