Chapter 20. A Companion In Trouble

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_ CHAPTER TWENTY. A COMPANION IN TROUBLE

I can't tell you the horrors of those moments as they appeared to me. No description could paint it all exactly; but one moment I was down in darkness with the current thundering in my ears, the next I was up at the surface beating and splashing, listening to the echoing of the water, which sounded hollow and strange, looking up at the sunshine that streamed in past the wheel, and then I went under.

It is a strange admission to make, but in those first few moments of surprise and horror I forgot that I knew how to swim, and all my movements were instinctive and only wearied and sent me down again after I had risen.

Then reason came to my help, and I began to strike out slowly and swam to the side of the great stone chamber, passing one hand along the slimy wall trying to get some hold, but finding none; and then swimming straight across to the other side and trying there, for I dared not approach the wheel, which looked horrible and dangerous, and I felt that if I touched it the great circle would begin to revolve, and perhaps take me down under the water, carry me up on the other side, and throw me over again.

It looked too horrible, all wet, slimy, and dripping as it was, or possibly I might have climbed up it and reached the edge of the dam, so I swam right beyond it and felt along the other side, but without avail. There was nothing but the slimy stonework, try where I would, and the chill of horror began to have a numbing effect on my arms.

I swam on to and fro beneath the doorway, with the little platform hanging by one end far above my had, and once as I swam my foot seemed to touch something, which might have been a piece of the sunken wood or iron work, but which made me shrink as if some horrible monster had made a snatch at me.

I shouted, but there was only the hollow echoing of the stone chamber and the lapping and whispering of the water; and, knowing that I was alone locked in the works, the terrible idea began to dance before me that I was going to die, for unless I could save myself I need not expect help.

The thought unnerved me more and more and made me swim more rapidly in the useless fashion I was pursuing, and once more I stared in a shrinking way at the great wheel, which, innocent enough in itself, seemed a more terrible engine than ever. I knew it would move if I swam across and clung to it, and I really dared not go near.

There was always something repellent and strange even in a big water cistern in a house, and as a mere boy I have often started back in terror at the noise made by the pipes when the water was coming driving the air before it with a snorting gurgle, and then pouring in, while to climb up a ladder or set of steps and look down into the black watery place always gave me a shudder and made me glad to get away.

It is easy to imagine, then, what my feelings were, suddenly cast into that great stone-walled place, with I did not know what depth of water beneath me, and inhabited as I knew by large twining eels.

I daresay the eels were as much afraid of me as I was of them; but that made no difference to my feelings as I swam here and there trying in vain for something to which to cling; but in the darkest parts as well as the lightest it was always the same, my hand glided over the stones and splashed down again into the water.

I was too much confused to think much, and moment by moment I was growing more helpless. I can remember making a sort of bound to try and get a hold of the broken platform above my head, but the effect of that effort was only to send me below the surface. I can recall, too, thinking that if I let my feet down I might find bottom, but this I dared not do for fear of what might be below; and so, each moment growing more feeble, I stared at the opened doorway through which I had come, at the iron-barred grating through which the water escaped, and which was the entrance to a tunnel or drain that ran beneath the works. Then I turned my eyes up at the sunlit opening through which seemed to come hope surrounding the black tooth-like engine that was hung there ready to turn and grind me down.

My energy was nearly exhausted, the water was above my lips, and after a wild glare round at the slimy walls the whispering lapping echoes were changed for the thunderous roar and confusion felt by one plunged beneath the surface; and in my blind horror I began beating the water frantically in my last struggle for life.

Natural instinct seems to have no hesitation in seizing upon the first help that comes. It was so here. I might have swum to the wheel at first and clung to it, but I was afraid; but now, after going under once or twice--I'm sure I don't know which--I came up in close proximity to the great mass of slimy wood-work, one of my hands touched it, the other joined it directly, and I clung panting there, blind, confused, helpless, but able to breathe.

Almost at the same moment, and before I knew what I was holding on by, there came a sound which sent hope and joy into my heart. It was the whimpering whine of Piter, who directly after set up a short yapping kind of bark, and I had a kind of idea that he must be somewhere on the wood-work inside the wheel.

I did not know that he had fallen in at the same time as I; and though once or twice I had heard him whining, I did not realise that he was also in danger; in fact the horrible overwhelming selfishness of the desire for self-preservation had swept away everything but the thought of how I was to get out of my trouble.

Every moment now gave me a little confidence, though it was nearly driven away when, able to see clearly again, I found myself holding on by one of the wooden pocket-like places formed with boards on the outer circumference of the engine--the places in fact into which, when the sluice was opened, the water rushed, and by its weight bore the wheel round.

After a few minutes' clinging there, beginning to feel numbed and chilled by the cold, I realised that the sun was setting, that the patches of light were higher, and that in a very few minutes the horrors of this place would be increased tenfold by my being plunged in profound darkness.

I dreaded moving, but I knew that the water could not come down upon me unless the sluice was opened, and that was turned off when the men left work, so that the water was saved for the next day, and the wheel ceased to turn. I determined then to try and climb up from pocket to pocket of the wheel and so reach the stone-race at the opening, along which the water poured.

My courage revived at this, and drawing my legs under me I got them upon one of the edges of the pocket beneath the water, raised myself up and caught hold of one higher than I had hold of before, and was about to take a step higher when, to my horror, the huge wheel began to feel the effect of my weight, and gradually the part I held descended.

At the same moment there was a loud splash, a beating of the water, a whining barking noise, and I knew I had shaken Piter off the bar or spoke to which he had been clinging inside.

"Here, Piter; here dog," I shouted; and he swam round to me, whining piteously and seeming to ask me for help.

This I was able to give him, for, holding tightly with one hand, I got my right arm round him and helped him to scramble up into one of the pockets, though the effort had weighed down the wheel and I sank deeper in the water.

I made another trial to climb up, but though the resistance of the great wheel was sufficient to support me partly it soon began to revolve, and I knew that it would go faster if I tried to struggle up.

I heaved a despairing sigh, and for the first time began to think of Gentles.

"This must be his doing," I said to myself. He had set some one to take out the support of the little platform, and I was obliged to own that after all he had only set a trap for me just as I had set one for him.

Still there was a great difference: he was on his way to do harm when he was caught--I was engaged in my lawful pursuits and trying to do good.

I had another trial, and another, but found it would, in my exhausted state, be impossible to climb up, and as I clung there, up to my chest in the water, and with the dog close to me, he whined piteously and licked my face.

The next minute he began to bark, stood up with his hind feet on the edge of one bar, his fore-paws on the one above, and made a bound.

To my surprise he reached his aim, and his weight having no effect on the wheel, he scrambled up and up till I knew he must have reached the top.

There was no doubt about it.

The next minute I heard the rattling shaking noise made by a dog when getting rid of the water in its coat. Then a loud and joyous barking. Then only the dripping, plashing sound of the water that escaped through the sluice and came running in and falling about the wheel.

What time was it? About half-past six, and the men would not come to work till the next morning. Could I hang there till then?

I knew it was impossible--that in perhaps less than half an hour I should be compelled to loose my hold and fall back into the black water without strength to stir a paralysed arm.

I shouted again and again, but the walls echoed back my cry, and I knew it was of no use, for it was impossible for any one to hear me outside the place. It was only wasting strength, and that was wanted to sustain me as long as possible.

There was one hope for me, though: my uncles would be returning from Redham at ten or eleven o'clock, and, not finding me at home, they would come in search of me.

When it is too late!

I must have said that aloud, for the word _late_ came echoing back from the wall, and for a time I hung there, feeling numbed, as it were, in my head, and as slow at thinking or trying to imagine some way of escape as I was at movement.

But I made one more effort.

It seemed to be so pitiful that a wretched, brainless dog, when placed in a position like this, should be able to scramble out, while I, with the power of thinking given to me, with reason and some invention, was perfectly helpless.

This thought seemed to send a current like electricity through me, nerving me to make another effort, and loosening one hand I caught at the bar above me as before, changed the position of my feet, and began to climb.

I gave up with a groan, for I was only taking the place of the water and turning the wheel just as a turnspit dog would work, or a squirrel in its cage, only that I was outside the wheel and they would have been in.

I came down with a splash; and as I clung there I could hear the water go softly lapping against the wall and whispering in the corners as if it were talking to itself about how soon I should have to loose my hold, sink down, and be drowned.

I was weakened by this last effort as well as by the strain upon my nerves, and as the water ceased to lap and whisper a horrible silence crept down into the place in company with the darkness. Only a few minutes before all was bright where the sun rays flashed in; now there was only a soft glow to be seen, and all about me black gloom.

I grew more and more numbed and helpless, and but for the fact that I hung there by my hands being crooked over the edge of the board across the wheel, I believe I must have fallen back, but my fingers stiffened into position and helped me to retain my hold, till at last they began to give way.

I had been thinking of home and of my uncles, and wondering how soon they would find me, and all in a dull nerveless way, for I suppose I was too much exhausted to feel much mental or bodily pain, when all at once I began to recall stories I had read about the Saint Bernard dogs and the travellers in the snow; and then about the shepherds' collies in the north and the intelligence they displayed.

Several such tales came to my memory, and I was just thinking to myself that they were all nonsense, for if dogs had so much intelligence, why had not Piter, who had a head big enough for a double share of dogs' brains, gone and fetched somebody to help me, instead of making his own escape, and then going and curling himself up by one of the furnaces to get dry--a favourite place of his if he had the chance.

Just then, as I seemed to be half asleep, I heard a sharp bark at a distance, then another nearer, and directly after Piter was on the top of the wheel, where he had stepped from the sluice trough, barking with all his might.

"Wheer is he then, boy? Wheer is he then?" said a gruff hoarse voice.

Piter barked more furiously than ever, and the glow seemed to give way to darkness overhead, as the voice muttered:

"Dear, dear! Hey! Think o' that now. Mester Jacob, are you theer?"

"Help!" I said, so faintly that I was afraid I should not be heard.

"Wheerabouts? In the watter?"

"I'm--on--the wheel," I cried weakly, and then, as I heard the sound of someone drawing in his breath, I strove to speak once more and called out:

"Turn the wheel."

It began to move directly, but taking me down into the water, and I uttered a cry, when the wheel turned in the other direction, drawing me out and up. My arms straightened out; I was drawn closer to the wood-work. I felt that I should slip off, when my toes rested upon one of the bars, while, as I rose higher, the tension on my arms grew less, and then less, and at last, instead of hanging, I was lying upon my chest. Then a pair of great hands laid hold of me, and Piter was licking my face.

Pannell told me afterwards that he had to carry me all along the narrow stone ledge to the window of his smithy, and thrust me through there before climbing in after me, for it was impossible to get into the yard the other way without a boat.

I must have fainted, I suppose, for when I opened my eyes again, though it was in darkness, the icy water was not round me, but I was lying on the warm ashes down in one of the stoke-holes; and the faint glow of the half-extinct fire was shining upon the shiny brown forehead of the big smith.

"Pannell!" I exclaimed, "where am I?"

"Get out!" he growled. "Just as if yow didn' know."

"Did you save me?"

"'Sh, will yo'!" he whispered. "How do we know who's a-watching an' listening? Yow want to get me knob-sticked, that's what yow want."

"No, no," I said, shivering.

"Yow know where we are, o' course. Down in the big stokul; but be quiet. Don't shout."

"How did you know I was in there?"

"What, in yonder?"

"Yes, of course; oh how my arms ache and throb!"

"Let me give 'em a roob, my lad," he said; and strongly, but not unkindly, he rubbed and seemed to knead my arms, especially the muscles above my elbows, talking softly in a gruff murmur all the while.

"I did give you a wink, lad," he said, "for I know'd that some'at was on the way. I didn' know what, nor that it was so bad as that theer. Lor' how can chaps do it! Yow might hev been drowned."

"Yes," I said with a shiver. "The cowards!"

"Eh! Don't speak aloud, lad. How did you get in? Some un push thee?"

"Push me! No; the platform was broken loose, and a trap set for me, baited with a wheel-band," I added angrily.

Pannell burst into a laugh, and then checked himself.

"I weer not laughing at yow, lad," he whispered, "but at owd Gentles. So yow got in trap too?"

"Trapped! Yes; the cowardly wretches!"

"Ay, 'twere cowardly. Lucky I came. Couldn't feel bottom, eh?"

"No."

"Nay, yow wouldn't; there's seven foot o' watter there, wi'out mood."

"How did you know I was there?"

"What! Didn' I tell ye?"

"No."

"I were hanging about like, as nigh as I could for chaps, a waitin' to see yow go home; but yow didn't coom, and yow didn't coom; and I got crooked like wi' waiting, and wondering whether yow'd gone another way, when all at once oop comes the bull-poop fierce like, and lays holt o' me by the leg, and shakes it hard. I was going to kick un, but he'd on'y got holt of my trowsis, and he kep on' shacking. Then he lets go and barks and looks at me, and takes holt o' my trowsis agin, and hangs away, pulling like, till I seemed to see as he wanted me to coom, and I followed him."

"Good old Piter!" I said; and there was a whine. I did not know it, but Piter was curled up on the warm ashes close by me, and as soon as he heard his name he put up his head, whined, and rapped the ashes with his stumpy tail.

"He went to the wucks fast as he could, and slipped in under the gate; but I couldn't do that, you see, Mester, and the gate was locked, so I was just thinking what I'd best do, and wondering where you might be, when I see Stivens come along, looking as if he'd like to howd my nose down again his grindstone, and that made me feel as if I'd like to get one of his ears in my tongs, and his head on my stithy. He looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I come away and waited till he'd gone."

"It seemed as if help would never come," I said.

"Ay, it weer long time," said Pannell; "but I found no one about at last, and I slipped over the wall."

"Yes, and I know where," I said.

"And there was Piter waiting and wanting me to follow him. But there was no getting in--the doors were locked. I seemed to know, though, that the dog wanted to get me to the wheel-pit, and when I tried to think how to get to you I found there was no way 'cept through my forge. So I got out o' my window, and put the dorg down, and--well, I came. Arn't much of a fire here, but if I blow it up Stivens or some on 'em will hear it, or see it, or something; and I s'pose I shall have it for to-night's work."

I did feel warmer and better able to move, and at last I rose to make the best of my way back.

"Nobody will notice my wet things," I said, "now it's dark. I don't know what to say to thank you, Pannell."

"Say I was a big boompkin for meddling ower what didn't consarn me. If I don't come to wuck to-morrow you'll know why."

"No; I shall not," I cried wonderingly.

"Ah, then, you'll have time to find out," he muttered. "Good-night, lad!"

"Stop a moment and I'll open the gate," I cried.

"Nay, I shall go out as I come in. Mayn't be seen then. Mebbe the lads'll be watching by the gate."

He stalked out, and as I followed him I saw his tall gaunt figure going to the corner of the yard where the trap was set, and then there was a scuffling noise, and he had gone.

I left the place soon after, and as I fastened the gate I fancied I saw Stevens and a man who limped in his walk; but I could not be sure, for the gas lamp cast but a very feeble light, and I was too eager to get home and change my things to stop and watch.

The run did me good, and by the time I had on a dry suit I was very little the worse for my immersion, being able to smile as I told my uncles at their return.

They looked serious enough, though, and Uncle Jack said it was all owing to the trap.

The question of putting the matter in the hands of the police was again well debated, but not carried out--my uncles concluding that it would do no good even if the right man were caught, for in punishing him we should only have the rest who were banded together more bitter against us.

"Better carry on the war alone," said Uncle Dick; "we must win in the end."

"If we are not first worn-out," said the others.

"Which we shall not be," cried Uncle Dick, laughing. "There are three of us to wear out, and as one gets tired it will enrage the others; while when all three of us are worn-out we can depute Cob to carry on the war, and he is as obstinate as all three of us put together."

They looked at me and laughed, but I felt too much stirred to follow their example.

"It is too serious," I said, "to treat like that; for I am obstinate now much more than I was, and I should like to show these cowards that we are not going to be frightened out of the town."

"Cob don't know what fear is," said Uncle Jack with a bit of a sneer.

"Indeed but I do," I replied. "I was horribly frightened when I fell into that place; but the more they frighten me, the more I want for us to make them feel that we are not to be beaten by fear."

"Bravo!" cried Uncle Bob, clapping his hands.

"There! Let's go on with our work," said Uncle Dick; "we must win in the end."

To have seen the works during the next few days, anyone would have supposed that there had never been the slightest trouble there. After due consideration the little platform had been replaced and the bands taken from the grindstone gear duly put in position, the men taking not the slightest notice, but working away most industriously.

Pannell, however, did not come back, and his forge was cold, very much to my uncles' annoyance. On inquiry being made we were told that his mother was dying, and that he had been summoned to see her.

I felt a little suspicious, but could hardly believe that anything was wrong, till one evening Uncle Jack proposed that we two should have a walk out in the country for a change.

I was only too glad, for the thought of getting away from the smoke and dirt and noise was delightful.

So as to get out sooner we took a short cut and were going down one of the long desolate-looking streets of rows of houses all alike, and built so as to be as ugly as possible, when we saw on the opposite side a man seated upon a door-step in his shirt-sleeves, and with his head a good deal strapped and bandaged.

"That's one of the evils of a manufacturing trade where machinery is employed," said Uncle Jack. "I'm afraid that, generally speaking, the accidents are occasioned by the men's carelessness or bravado; but even then it is a painful thing to know that it is your machinery that has mutilated a poor fellow. That poor fellow has been terribly knocked about, seemingly."

"Yes," I said, looking curiously across the road.

"So far we have been wonderfully fortunate, but--here, this way! Where are you going?"

"Over here," I said, already half across the road; for the brawny arms and long doubled-up legs of the man seemed familiar.

"Why?" cried Uncle Jack; but he followed me directly.

"Pannell!" I exclaimed.

"What, Mester Jacob!" he cried, lifting up his head with his face in my direction, but a broad bandage was over his eyes.

"Why, what's all this?" I cried; "have you had some accident?"

"Yes, met wi' acciden' done o' purpose."

"But they said your mother was dying," I cried as I held the great hard hand, which was now quite clean.

"Ay, so I heard say," replied the great fellow.

"Is she better?"

"Better! Well, she ain't been badly."

"Not dying?" said Uncle Jack.

"What's that yow, Mester?" said Pannell. "Sarvice to you, sir. My mother!--dying! Well, I suppose she be, slowly, like the rest of us."

"But what have you been doing?" I cried. "What a state you are in!"

"State I'm in! Yow should have seen me a fortnit ago, my lad. I'm splendid now--coming round fast."

"But how was it?" cried Uncle Jack, while I turned white as I seemed to see it all.

"How was it, Mester!" said Pannell laughing. "Well, you see, I weer heving bit of a walluck, wi' my pipe in my mooth, and it being bit dusk like that night I didn't see which way I were going, and run my head again some bits o' wood."

"Sticks!" I said excitedly.

He turned his head towards me smiling.

"Couldn't see rightly as to that, Mester Jacob," he said; "I dessay they weer."

"And a set of cowards had hold of them!" I cried.

"Nay, I can't say," replied the great fellow. "Yow see, Mester, when owt hits you on the head it wuzzles you like, and you feel maazed."

Uncle Jack stood frowning.

"You know very well, Pannell," I cried angrily, "that you have been set upon by some of these treacherous cowards for helping me that evening. Oh, Uncle Jack!" I cried, passionately turning to him, "why don't you go to the police?"

"Howd thee tongue, lad!" cried Pannell fiercely. "Yow don't know nowt about it. Don't yow do nowt o' t' sort, Mester. Let well alone, I say."

"But I cannot stand still and see these outrages committed," said Uncle Jack in a low angry voice.

"Hey, but thou'lt hev to, 'less you give up maakin' 'ventions. Trade don't like 'em, and trade will hev its say."

"But that you should have been so brutally used for doing a manly action for this boy," began Uncle Jack.

"Theer, theer, theer," said Pannell; "I don't kick agen it. I s'pected they'd do some'at. I know'd it must coom. Chap as breaks the laws has to tek his bit o' punishment. Chaps don't bear no malice. I'm comin' back to work next week."

"Look here," said Uncle Jack, who was a good deal moved by the man's calm patience, "what are we to do to come to terms with the workmen, and have an end to these outrages?"

"Oh, that's soon done," replied Pannell, rubbing one great muscular arm with his hand, "yow've just got to give up all contrapshions, and use reg'lar old-fashioned steel, and it'll be all right."

"And would you do this, my man?" said Uncle Jack, looking down at the great muscular fellow before him.

"Ay, I'd do it for sake o' peace and quiet. I should nivver go agen trade."

"And you would advise me to give up at the command of a set of ignorant roughs, and make myself their slave instead of master."

"Mester Jacob," said Pannell, "I can't see a bit wi' this towel round my head; look uppards and downards; any o' the chaps coming?"

"No," I said.

"Then look here, Mester, I will speak if I nivver do again. No, I wouldn't give up if I was you, not if they did a hundred worse things than they've done yet. Theer!"

Uncle Jack looked down on the man, and then said quickly:

"And you, what will you do?"

"Get to wuck again, Mester, as soon as I can."

"And the men who beat you like that?"

"Eh, what about 'em?"

"Shall you try and punish them?"

"Punish 'em, Mester! Why, how can I? They punished me."

"But you will turn upon them for this, Pannell, will you not?"

"Nay, Mester; I went again 'em, and they knob-sticked me for it, and it's all done and over. I shall soon be back at my stithy, if you'll hev me again."

"Have you! Yes, my man, of course," said Uncle Jack. "I wish we could have more like you."

"Cob," said Uncle Jack as we strode on and got well out into the country, "we've got a very strong confederation to fight, and I do not feel at all hopeful of succeeding; but, there: we've put our hands to the plough, and we can't look back. Now never mind business, let's listen to the birds and enjoy the fresh country air for a time."

We were going up the valley, passing every now and then "a wheel" as it was called, that is a water-wheel, turning a number of grindstones, the places being remarkably like ours, only that as we got farther out the people who ground and forged did their work under the shade of trees, while the birds piped their songs, and air and water were wonderfully different from what they were about our place on the edge of the great town.

"Let's get back, Cob," said Uncle Jack despondently. "It makes me miserable to hear the birds, and see the beauty of the hills and vales, and the sparkling water, and know that men toiling together in towns can be such ruffians and so full of cruelty to their fellow creatures."

"And so strong and true and brave and ready to help one another."

"As who are, Cob?" said my uncle.

"Well, for want of thinking of anyone else just now," I said, "there's poor Pannell; he saved me, and he has just shown us that he is too faithful to his fellow-workmen to betray them."

Uncle Jack laid his hand upon my shoulder and gave it a hearty grip.

"You're right, my lad," he said. "You're the better philosopher after all. There's good and bad, and like so many more I think of the bad and overlook the good. But all the same, Cob, I'm very uneasy. These men have a spiteful feeling against you, and we shall not be doing right if we trust you out of our sight again." _

Read next: Chapter 21. What I Caught And Heard

Read previous: Chapter 19. Pannell Says Nothing

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