All the same, though, he found himself taking note of Rhoda's figure, the carriage of her head, and her free, firm step on the rugged path. This path seemed to trouble the young vicar, who, being short-sighted, more than once caught the toes of his thin boots against some irregularity in the granite, as he talked on in his smooth, easy-flowing way, only interrupted by Rhoda turning her head occasionally to point out some place of interest in the distance. "Parson's like the rest!" said Geoffrey to himself, as he turned off to the cottage. "He's touched. I wonder whether she knew that he was coming to meet her, for that he went on purpose, I'll swear. I wonder whether any thing could be made of Wheal Carnac? What a nice sister she would make! Hallo! Pengelly, you here again? No, no; stand off, my lad: I've no more brace buttons to spare. One of your hugs is enough for a day. What?" "I beg your pardon, Master Trethick," said the miner, humbly; and he stood with his hat off in the track, "I beg your pardon humbly, sir; I do indeed." "Oh, tut--tut, man, that's all past," said Geoffrey, heartily. "No, sir, it arn't," said Amos. "I feel that shamed o' myself that I haven't got words to speak it. Only please say that you forgive me, and won't think of it any more." "Forgive you! Yes, Pengelly, of course; but next time you suspect one of any thing wrong, just bark out aloud before you bite, will you?--it will give a fellow a chance to get out of your way." "Ah, sir, you don't know how foolish I feel." "Do you? Then don't feel so any more. And now look here, my lad, I want to have a few words with you again about Wheal Carnac." "Yes, sir--when?" "Oh, soon--say to-morrow morning. I'll meet you there at your own time." "Say six, sir. I'm not on at the mine till nine," said Amos, with his face lighting up; and they parted, for Geoffrey to become aware, as he entered the gate, that Madge Mullion was at the window ready to smile at him as he went in, and a shrewd suspicion smote him that she had been watching for his return. CHAPTER NINETEEN. AT WHEAL CARNAC. "I've got Wheal Carnac on the brain," said Geoffrey, as he leaped out of his bed soon after five o'clock, made a great deal of noise and splashing over a tub, and ended by standing up fresh, healthy, and dressed, and calling himself a fool. "Why, I might have taken a towel and had a dip in the sparkling waters," he said, as he gazed out, to see the ripples stained with blood-red and gold, orange and brilliant topaz with the rising sun. "Why, it would have been a bath in Falernian wine! Never mind--live and learn." "By George, what was I dreaming? Oh! I remember: that I fell down the old pit-shaft and went on falling into infinite space, with some one like that Tregenna laughing at me the while."