"He does see it," declared Sarah Jane. "He's sharp as a needle
behind his quiet, casual way. He knows what you're good for. Who is
it he seeks if any thing's to be done? Who is it gets the difficult
work, where brains be wanted to a thing? 'Twill come right, only us
can't hurry it."
Brendon laughed.
"I shall get advancement the same time that you'll set your
peat-works going again, and not sooner, father," he told Gregory.
"I hope so. They be both things delayed; but both be bound to happen
sooner or later. You'm like Amicombe Hill--good all through, Dan.
The time will come when other people will be sorry enough they didn't
find it out sooner."
They discussed the various problems of Daniel Brendon and Amicombe
Hill for some time. Both men were sanguine, and both wondered why
other people so obstinately failed to see with their eyes. Daniel
put his faith in God and declared that he felt no fear of the
ultimate issue; but Mr. Friend inclined to trust man. It was idle to
suppose that the results of his personal investigations on Amicombe
Hill peat would be ignored for ever. He believed that some sagacious
spirit must presently arise at headquarters, justify his patient
belief, and delve for the treasure that he still so zealously guarded.
Presently Gregory turned to his daughter.
"And what's the secret only you are to tell me, my dear?" he asked.
"I be going to have a little baby," said Sarah Jane.
"A big one more like! And a boy I do hope. That's capital news, and
I wish you both joy of him with all my heart. If 'tis a boy, call
him 'Amicombe' for luck--eh?"
"No, no! He shall be called 'Gregory' after his grandfather,"
declared Daniel.
The news cheered Mr. Friend, and he became very solicitous for Sarah
Jane.
"Don't you let her do too much work," he said. "She mustn't tramp up
here no more. I'll come down of a Sunday instead."
But his daughter laughed.
"You old dear! I shall call you a grandmother instead of a
grandfather."
"I can see him running about here taking his first lessons in peat,
an' messing his little self up to the eyes in it," said Mr. Friend.
"An' right welcome he'll be. There's many wonders up here as I'll
show him."
"Might be a girl, however," said Daniel.
"I hope not and I think not," declared the peat-master. "'Twill be a
brave boy, I'm pretty sure. Us may be doing a roaring business
before he appears; but be that as 'twill, I'll always make time to
play a game with him. When's he coming, Sarah?"
"In September, I reckon."
"A very good time. Well, well--what would your mother think!"
"She knows all about it, be very sure," said Daniel. "And now us
must get going, for the dusk be down a'ready."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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