or the glass tool which had been replaced on the
head of the cask.

"My word! what a differ there is here," said David, as he glanced round
with the drawer in his hands. "What yer put to bed under they blankets,
sir?"

"Specula, David."

"Speckle-hay? What, are you forcing on 'em?"

"Forcing?" said Tom, laughing.

"Yes; are they coming up?"

"Nonsense! Here are those two great pieces of glass uncle brought down.
We've been polishing one."

"Oh! them," cried David. "My word! Wonder what old miller would ha'
said to see his place ramfoozled about like this?"

"Come along," cried Tom; and the drawers were carried up, each being
crammed full of papers and books, and laid on the floor close to the old
mill-post.

"Worser and worser," said David, looking round. "Dear, dear! the times
I've been up here when the sacks was standing all about, some flour and
some wheat, and the stones spinning round, the hopper going tippenny
tap--tippenny tap, and the meal-dust so thick you could hardly breathe.
I 'member coming out one night, and going home, and my missus says to
me, `Why, Davy, old man, what yer been a-doing on? Yer head's all
powdered up like Squire Winkum's footman.' It was only meal, yer know."

"And now you can come and go without getting white, David," said Tom,
moving a stool from under the newly put up shelves. "This is where the
bureau is to go."

"Is it now?" said David, scratching his head. "Why that's where the old
bin used to be. Ay, I've set on that bin many's the time on a windy
night, when miller wanted to get a lot o' grist done."

"Back again," said Tom; and two more drawers were carried over. Then
the framework and desk were fetched, with Mrs Fidler standing ready,
dustpan and brush in hand, to remove any dirt and fluff that might be
underneath.

"Tidy heavy now, Master Tom," said David, as they bore the old
walnut-wood piece of furniture across the garden and up to the mill,
only setting it down once just inside the yard by way of a rest, and to
close the gate.

Then the piece of furniture was carried in, and after some little
scheming, hoisted up the steep ladder flight of steps, David getting
under it and forcing it up with his head.

"Wonderful heavy bit o' wood, Master Tom," said the gardener.

"It's an awkward place to get it up, David," replied the boy. "Now
then, just under those shelves. It will stand capitally there, and get
plenty of light for writing."

But th