e bureau did not stand capitally there, for the back feet were
higher than the front, consequent upon the floor having sunk from the
weight of millstones in the middle.

"She'll want a couple o' wedges under her, Master Tom," said David.

"Yes. I've got a couple of pieces that will just do--part of a little
box," cried Tom. "I'll fetch them, and the saw to cut the exact size.
You wait here."

"And put the drawers in, sir?"

"Not till we've got this right," replied Tom, who was already at the
head of the steps; and he ran down and across to the house, obtained the
saw from the tool-chest, and hurried back to the mill, where he found
David down in the workshop, waiting for him with his hands in his
pockets.

"Didn't yer uncle ought to leave his tool-chest over here, sir?" said
the gardener.

"Oh yes, I suppose he will," said Tom. "It would be handier. Halloo,
did you open that window?"

"No, sir. I see it ajar like when we first came, and it just blowed
open like when the door was swung back."

Tom said no more, but led the way up-stairs, where the pieces of wood
were wedged in under the front legs, sawn off square, and the drawers
were replaced.

"Capital, Master Tom," cried the gardener. "You'd make quite a
carpenter. I say, what's it like up-stairs?"

"Come and see," said Tom, ready to idle a little now the work was done,
and very proud of the place he had helped to contrive.

David tightened his blue serge apron roll about his waist, and followed
up into the observatory, smiling, but ready to depreciate everything.

"Ay, but it's a big change," he said; "no sacks o' wheat, no reg'lar
machinery. There's the master's tallow scoop; he give me a look through
it once, and there was the moon all covered with spots o' grease like
you see on soup sometimes. Well, it's his'n, and he's a right to do
what he likes with the place. Ah, many's the time I've been up here
too. Why, Jose the carpenter chap's cut away the top of the post here.
You used to be able to move a bit of an iron contrapshum, and that would
send the fan spinning, and the whole top would work round till the sails
faced the wind."

"Well, the whole top will work round now, David."

"Not it, sir, without the sails."

"But I tell you it will," said Tom, moving a bar, and throwing open the
long shutter, which fell back easily, letting in a long strip of
sunshine, and giving a view of the blue sky from low-down toward the
horizon to the