CHAP. IV. UNDERTAKES TO CURE IT. 5L 



had gotten to the bottom yet?" And the reply was 

 always to the same effect the pumping made no pro- 

 gress, and the workmen were still " drowned out." 



One Saturday afternoon he went over to the High 

 Pit to examine the engine more carefully than he had 

 yet done. He had been turning the subject over in his 

 mind ; and after a long examination, he seemed to 

 satisfy himself as to the cause of the failure. Kit 

 Heppel, who was a sinker at the pit, said to him : 

 " Weel, George, what do you mak' o' her ? Do you 

 think you could do anything to improve her ? " " Man," 

 said George in reply, " I could alter her and make her 

 draw : in a week's time from this I could send you to 

 the bottom." 



Forthwith Heppel reported this conversation to Ealph 

 Dodds, the head viewer ; and Dodds, being now quite 

 in despair, and hopeless of succeeding with the engine, 

 determined to give George's skill a trial. George had 

 already acquired the character of a very clever and 

 ingenious workman ; and at the worst he could only 

 fail, as the rest had done. In the evening, Mr. Dodds 

 went towards Stephenson's cottage in search of him. 

 He met him on the road, dressed in his Sunday's suit, 

 about to proceed to " the preaching " in the Methodist 

 Chapel, which he at that time attended. " Well, 

 George," said Mr. Dodds, accosting him, " they tell me 

 you think you can put the engine at the High Pit to 

 rights." " Yes, sir," said George, " I think I could." 

 " If that's the case, I'll give you a fair trial, and you 

 must set to work immediately. We are clean drowned 

 out, and cannot get a step further. The engineers here- 

 abouts are all bet ; and if you really succeed in accom- 

 plishing w r hat they cannot do, you may depend upon it 

 I will make you a man for life." 



Stephenson began his operations early next morning. 

 The only condition that he made, before setting to work, 



E 2 



