ey had hardly begun when it
was time to leave off; and though there was plenty of fun and joking and
banging together of pieces of iron-pipe and noise which brought out the
doctor to see, and Aunt Hannah in a state of nervousness to make sure
that nobody was hurt, Vane did not enjoy his work, for he could not help
glancing at his dirty hands, and asking himself whether Distin was not
right. And at these times his fellow-pupil's fastidiously clean hands
and unruffled, prim and dandified aspect came before him, making him
feel resolved to be more particular as to the character of the hobbies
he rode.

At parting, when Gilmore and Macey were taking leave after a visit to
Vane's room and a plenteous application of soap and nail-brushes, in
spite of their declaration that they had had a jolly day, their leader--
their foreman of the works, as Gilmore called him--had quite made up his
mind that he would let the bricklayer and blacksmith finish the job. In
consequence of his resolve, he was up by six o'clock next morning when
the men came, meaning to superintend, but he soon lapsed, and was as
busy as either of them.

Vane fully expected a severe encounter with Martha apropos of her
kitchen-fire being left unlit, and the litter of brick and mortar
rubbish made by the bricklayer; but to his surprise the cook did not
come into the kitchen, and during breakfast Vane asked why this was.

"Aunt's diplomancy," said the doctor, merrily.

"No, no, my dear. Your uncle's," cried Aunt Hannah.

"Ah, well, halves," cried the doctor. "Martha wanted a holiday to visit
her friends, and she started last night for two days. Can you get the
boiler set and all right for Mrs Bruff to clean up before Martha comes
back?"

"You must, my dear, really," cried Aunt Hannah. "You must."

"Oh, very well, aunt, if the bricklayer will only work well, it shall be
done."

"Thank you, my dear, for really I should not dare to meet Martha if
everything were not ready; and pray, pray, my dear, see that nothing is
done to interfere with her kitchen-fire."

The doctor laughed. Vane promised, and forgetful entirely of
appearances he deputed his uncle to go to the rectory and excuse him for
two days, and worked like a slave. The result was that not only was the
boiler set in the wall behind the kitchen-fire, and all put perfectly
straight before the next night, but the iron-pipes, elbows, and syphons
were joined together with their india-rubber ring