"I don't know for certain, my boy, but I'm afraid there's mischief brewing. I can't swear to it, but I believe that devil, John Lister, has been stirring up the scoundreldom of the trade, with stuff about the machine taking the bread out of their mouths, and if the trial passes off without a hitch, I shall be surprised." "Mr Ruddle hinted something of the kind, last night," I said. "Yes, but don't let Hallett know, poor fellow! He's weak and ill enough already. He might break down. Ruddle had men watching the place all last night, so as to guard against any malicious attempts." "But do you think they would dare to injure the machine?" I exclaimed. "Fools will do anything if they are set to do it," said the old man, sententiously. "If Lister is at the bottom of any such attempts he deserves to be shot," I cried indignantly. "And his carcase given to the crows," said the old man. "But I say, Antony Grace, my boy, is Miss Carr likely to come to see the trial?" "No," I replied; "she asked me to let her know the time, but she said she could not come." "Humph! I should have liked her to see it," he said. "But come along; don't let's lag behind; and mind this, my ideas may only be suspicions, and worth nothing at all." There was a group or two of men hanging about the rival office, bearing Lister's name, at the end of the street, as we went up to the great building, and as I passed the timekeeper's box I could not help thinking of the day when, a shivering, nervous boy, I had gone up only to meet with a rebuff; while now one of the first persons to come bustling up, looking very much older, but as pugnacious and important as ever, was Mr Grimstone, who was quite obsequious as he shook hands first with me, and then with Hallett. "Very, very proud, gentlemen," he exclaimed, "very proud indeed. Great changes since you used to honour us with your assistance." "Yes, Mr Grimstone," I said, laughing as I wondered how I could ever have trembled before him, "and time hasn't stood still." "No, indeed, but we wear well, Mr Jabez Rowle and I, sir. Ha-ha-ha! Yes, old standards, sir, both of us, and we stand by the old establishment. We don't want to go away inventing great machines." "Oh, Grimstone! the men are still there with the machine?" said Mr Ruddle, coming up. "No, sir, not now. They went off when I came, but I've put the new watchman on." "Confound it all, Grimstone! You've never put a stranger there?" exclaimed Mr Ruddle furiously. "But I have, sir," said the overseer importantly. "Here he is, sir. Bramah lock," and he held out a bright new key. "Oh, I see," said Mr Ruddle, laughing. "Here's Mr Girtley, senior." The great engineer came up, nodded to his son and me, shook hands with Hallett, and then we all went to the room where the machine had been set up, glistening, bright, and new, with the shaft and bands of the regular engine gear passing through above it.