He paused and turned over the papers before him, as if searching for something, and Robins heart sank. Was he going to be dismissed? Had he done anything wrong, or had he unwittingly neglected some duty?
Ah! here it is, resumed Mr Lowstoft, a letter from a friend who has come by a slight injury to his right hand, and wants a smart amanuensis and general assistant. Now I think of sending you to him, if you have no objection.
As the Head again paused while glancing over the letter, Robin ventured timidly to state that he had very strong objections; that he was very much satisfied with his situation and work, and had no desire to change.
Mr Lowstoft did not appear to listen to his remarks, but said suddenly Youve studied the science of electricity, I believe?
Yes, sirto some extent, answered the lad, with a look of surprise.
I know you have. Your father has told me about your tastes and studies. Youve heard of Mr Cyrus Field, I presume?
Indeed I have, said Robin, brightening up, it was through his efforts that the Atlantic Cable was laid in 1858which unfortunately went wrong.
Well, my boy, it is through his efforts that another cable is to be laid in this year 1865, which we all hope sincerely wont go wrong, and my friend, who wants an assistant, is one of the electricians connected with the new expedition. Would you like to go?
Robins eyes blazed, and he could scarcely find breath or words to express his willingnessif his father did not object.
Go home at once, then, and ask leave, for the Great Eastern is almost ready for sea, and you have to hasten your preparations.
Robin stroked no more ts and dotted no more is that day. We fear, indeed, that he even left the invoice on his desk unfinished, with the last i imperfect.
Bursting into his fathers house, he found Madgenow become a pretty little slip of feminine thread-paperseated at the piano agonising over a chord which her hand was too small to compass.
Madge, Madge, cousin Madge! he shouted, seizing both the extended little hands and kissing the musical wrinkles from her brow, why am I like a magnet? Youll never guess.
Because you attract everybody to you, said Madge promptly.
Pooh! not at all. A magnet doesnt attract every body. It has two poles, dont you know, and repels some bodies. No, Madge, its because I have been electrified.
Indeed? and what has electrified you, Robin?
The Atlantic Cable, Madge.
Well, that ought to be able to do it powerfully, returned Madge, with a laugh; but tell me all about it, and dont make more bad conundrums. Im sure something has happened. What is it?
Mrs Wright, entering at the moment, her son calmed himself as well as he could, and sat down to tell his tale and talk the matter over.
Now, what think you, mother? Will father consent?
I think he will, Robin, but before going into the matter further, I will lay it before our Father in heaven. He must show us the way, if we are to go right.
According to invariable custom, Robins mother retired to her own room to consider the proposal. Thereafter she had a long talk with her husband, and the result was that on the following day our hero found himself in a train with a small new portmanteau by his side, a new billy-cock hat on his head, a very small new purse in his pocket, with a remarkably small sum of money therein, and a light yet full heart in his breast. He was on his way to the Nore, where the Great Eastern lay, like an antediluvian macaroni-eater, gorging itself with innumerable miles of Atlantic Cable.
To say truth, Robins breastcapacious though it was for his sizecould hardly contain his heart that day. The dream of his childhood was about to be realised! He had thirsted for knowledge. He had acquired all that was possible in his fathers limited circumstances. He had, moreover, with the valuable assistance of Sam Shipton, become deeply learned in electrical science. He had longed with all his heart to become an electricianquite ready, if need were, to commence as sweeper of a telegraph-office, but he had come to regard his desires as too ambitious, and, accepting his lot in life with the quiet contentment taught him by his mother, had entered on a clerkship in a mercantile house, and had perched himself, with a little sigh no doubt, yet cheerfully, on the top of a three-legged stool. To this stool he had been so long attachedphysicallythat he had begun to regard it almost as part and parcel of himself, and had made up his mind that he would have to stick to it through life. He even sometimes took a quaint view of the matter, and tried to imagine that through long habit it would stick to him at last, and oblige him to carry it about sticking straight out behind him; perhaps even require him to take it to bed with him, in which case he sometimes tried to imagine what would be the precise effect on the bedclothes if he were to turn from one side to the other. Thus had his life been projected in grey perspective to his mental eye.
But nowhe actually was an electrician-elect on his way to join the biggest ship in the world, to aid in laying the greatest telegraph cable in the world, in company with some of the greatest men in the universe! It was almost too much for him. He thirsted for sympathy. He wanted to let off his feelings in a cheer, but life in a lunatic asylum presented itself, and he refrained. There was a rough-looking sailor lad about his own age, but much bigger, on the seat opposite, (it was a third class). He thought of pouring out his feelings on himbut prudence prevented. There is no saying what might have been the result, figuratively speaking, to his boiler if the sailor lad had not of his own accord opened a safety-valve.
You seems pretty bobbish this morning, young feller, he said, after contemplating his vis-à-vis, for a long time in critical silence. Bin an took too much, eh?
I beg your pardon, said Robin, somewhat puzzled.
Youre pritty considerable jolly, I say, returned the lad, who had an honest, ugly face; and was somewhat blunt and gruff in manner.
I am indeed very jolly, said Robin, with a bland smile, for Im going to help to lay the great Atlantic Cable.
Wots that you say? demanded the lad, with sudden animation.
Robin repeated his remark.
Well, now, that is a go! Why, Im goin to help lay the great Atlantic Cable too. Im one the stooards boys. What may you be, young feller?
Me? Oh! ImIwhy, Im on the electrical staffIm he thought of the word secretary, but a feeling of modesty induced him to sayassistant to one of the electricians.
Which un? demanded the lad curtly.
Mr Smith.
Mr Smith, eh? Wellit aint an unusual nameSmith aint. Praps youll condescend on his first name, for theres no less than three Smiths among the electricians.
Ebenezer Smith, I believe, said Robin.
Ebbysneezer Smitheh? well, upon my word thats a Smith-mixtur that Ive never heerd on before. I dont know im, but hes all right, I dessay. Theyre a rum lot altogether.
Whether this compliment was meant for the great Smith family in general, or the electrical branch in particular, Robin could not guess, and did not like to ask. Having thus far opened his heart, however, he began to pour out its contents, and found that the ugly sailor lad was a much more sympathetic soul than he had been led to expect from his looks. Having told his own name, he asked that of his companion in return.
My nameoh! its SlaggJim Slagg; James when you wants to be respeckfulSlagg when familiar. Im the son o Jim Slagg, senior. Who he was the son of is best known to them as understands the science of jinnylology. But it dont much matter, for we all runs back to Adam an Eve somehow. They called me after father, of course; but to make a distinction they calls him Jimmybein more respeckful-like,and me Jim. It aint a name much to boast of, but I wouldnt change it with you, young feller, though Robert aint a bad name neither. Its pretty well-known, you see, an thats somethin. Then, its bin bore by great men. Let me thinkwasnt there a Robert the Great once?
I fear not, said Robin; he is yet in the womb of Time.
Ah, well, no matter; but there should have bin a Robert the Great before now. Anyhow, there was Robert the Brucehe was a king, warnt he, an a skull-cracker? Then there was Robert Stephenson, the great engineerhes livin yet; an there was Robert thethe Devil, but I raither fear he must have bin a bad un, he must, so we wont count him. Of course, they gave you another name, for short; ah, Robin! I thought so. Well, that aint a bad name neither. There was Robin Hood, you know, what drawd the long-bow a deal better than the worst penny-a-liner as ever mended a quill. An there was a Robin Goodfellow, though I dont rightly remember who he was exactly.
One of Shakespeares characters, interposed Robin.
Jus sowell, he couldnt have bin a bad fellow, you know. Then, as to your other name, Wrightthats all right, you know, and might have bin writer if youd taken to the quill or the law. Anyhow, as long as youre Wright, of course you cant be wrongeh, young feller?
Jim Slagg was so tickled with this sudden sally that he laughed, and in so doing shut his little eyes, and opened an enormous mouth, fully furnished with an unbroken set of splendid teeth.
Thus pleasantly did Robin while away the time with his future shipmate until he arrived at the end of his journey, when he parted from Jim Slagg and was met by Ebenezer Smith.
That energetic electrician, instead of at once taking him on board the Great Eastern, took him to a small inn, where he gave him his tea and put him through a rather severe electrical examination, out of which our anxious hero emerged with credit.
Youll do, Robin, said his examiner, who was a free-and-easy yet kindly electrician, but you want instruction in many things.
Indeed I do, sir, said Robin, for I have had no regular education in the science, but I hope, if you direct me what to study, that I shall improve.
No doubt you will, my boy. Meanwhile, as the big ship wont be ready to start for some time, I want you to go to the works of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, see the making of the cable, learn all you can, and write me a careful account of all that you see, and all that you think about it.
Robin could not repress a smile.
Why, boy, what are you laughing at? demanded Mr Smith, somewhat sternly.
Robin blushed deep scarlet as he replied
Pardon me, sir, but you said I am to write down all that I think about it.
Well, what then?
IIm afraid, sir, stammered Robin, that if I write down all I think about the Atlantic Cable, as well as all that I see, I shall require a very long time indeed, and a pretty large volume.
Mr Smith gazed at our hero for some time with uplifted brows, then he shook his head slowly and frowned, then he nodded it slightly and smiled. After that he laughed, or rather chuckled, and said
Well, you may go now, and do what I have told youonly omitting most of what you think. A small portion of that will suffice! Dont hurry back. Go home and make a fair copy of your observations and thoughts. Ill write when I require you. Stayyour address? Ah! I have it in my note-book. Whats your first name, Mister Wright?
Robin grew two inches taller, or more, on the spot; he had never been called Mister before, except in jest!
Robert, sir, he replied.
Robertha! hm! Ill call you Bob. I never could stand ceremony, so youll accustom yourself to the new name as quickly as you canbut perhaps its not new to you?
Please, sir, Ive been used to Robin; if you have no objection, I should
No objectionof course not, interrupted Mr Smith; Robin will do quite as well, though a little longer; but thats no matter. Good-bye, Robin, andanddont think too hard. It sometimes hurts digestion; good-bye.
Well, what dee think of Ebbysneezer Smith, my electrical toolip? asked Jim Slagg, whom Robin encountered again at the station. Hes a wiry subject, I spose, like the rest of em?
Hes a very pleasant gentleman, answered Robin warmly.
Oh, of coorse he is. All the Smiths are somore or less. Theyre a glorious family. I knows at least half a dozen of em in what superfine people call the slums of London.
And I know more than half a dozen of em, retorted Robin, somewhat sharply, in what unrefined people call the haristocracy of London.
Whew! whistled Mister Slagg, gazing at Robin in silent surprise.
What the whistle implied was not explained at that time, because the locomotive whistle took up the tune with intense violence, causing a rush to the train, in which the two ladslike many other friendswere abruptly parted for a season.
Chapter Six.
Tells of our Heros Visit to the Great Cable
Robin Wright returned home with a bounding heart. Since his electrical appointment he had become, figuratively speaking, an indiarubber balla sort of human squash. His heart bounded; his feet bounded; if his head had fallen off, it also would have bounded, no doubt.
On arriving he found his fathers elder brothera retired sea-captain of the merchant serviceon a visit to the family.
There was not a more favourite uncle in the kingdom than uncle Rikthus had his name of Richard been abbreviated by the Wright family. Uncle Rik was an old bachelor and as bald as a babymore so than many babies. He was good-humoured and liberal-hearted, but a settled unbeliever in the worlds progress. He idolised the good old times, and quite pleasantly scorned the present.
So, so, Robin, he said, grasping our hero by both hands (and uncle Riks grasp was no joke), youre goin in for batteriesgalvanic batteries an wires, are you? Well, lad, I always thought you more or less of a fool, but I never thought you such a born idiot as that comes to.
Yes, uncle, said Robin, with a pleasant laugh, for he was used to the old captains plain language, Im going to be an electrician.
Bah! pooh!an electrician! exclaimed uncle Rik with vehemence, as well set up for a magician at once.
Indeed he wont be far short of that, said Mrs Wright, who was seated at the tea-table with her husband and Madgeat least, she added, if all be true that we hear of this wonderful science.
If only half of it be true, interjected Mr Wright.
But it aint true, said Captain Rik firmly. They talk a deal of stuff about it, more than nine-tenths of which is liespure fable. I dont believe in electricity; more than that, I dont believe in steam. Batteries and boilers are both bosh!