after that lad."

"I want no excuses, sir," cried Uncle James fiercely. "I know what it
means. You are too idle--you are sick of wheeling the chair. It was
all a planned thing. But mind, I shall take a note of it, and you will
find out that you've made the great mistake of your life. Here, you
sir!"

This was to David, who was in the garden; and he hurried up.

"Go and order me a fly to come here directly."

"From the station, sir? It's over there all day now."

"From anywhere, only make haste."

"Yes, sir," said David; and he gave Tom a sharp look as much as to say,
"Rather too much of a good thing to go over there twice." Then he
fetched his coat and went off.

"Hallo! Walking?" cried Uncle Richard, coming out of the observatory.
"Where's the chair?"

"Broken, smashed, thanks to this young scoundrel; and it's a mercy I'm
alive. But I'll have no more of this."

Uncle James strode into the house, and his brother turned to Tom for an
explanation, and had it.

"But he did not walk back all the way?"

"Every step, uncle, and didn't seem to mind it."

"Humph!" ejaculated Uncle Richard, frowning, as he locked up the yard
gate and followed his brother into the house.

Half-an-hour later Mrs Fidler announced dinner, when Uncle James came
down looking black as thunder, and answered his brother in
monosyllables, refusing to speak once to Tom, at whom he scowled
heavily.

"I'm sorry you had such an upset, James," said Uncle Richard at last.

"Thank you," was the cold reply.

"But I don't think you are any the worse for it."

"Thank you!" said Uncle James again, but more shortly.

"Tom, my lad, tell David as soon as dinner is over to borrow the Vicar's
cart, and go to the sand-pit and fetch the broken chair."

"David has gone to the station, uncle," said Tom.

"Station? What for?"

"Uncle sent him for the fly."

"Fly?"

"Yes, sir," said Uncle James. "I sent your gardener for the fly, and if
there's any charge for his services I will pay him. I see I have
outstayed my welcome, and the sooner I am off the better."

"My dear James, don't be absurd," said Uncle Richard. "What you say is
childish."

"Of course, sir; sick and helpless men are always childish."

"There, don't take it like that. Tom assures me it was an accident. If
you are upset by it, let me send for the doctor to see you."

"Thank you; I'll send for my own doctor as soon as I get back to town."

"You're not going bac