Uncle Ith, always on the alert for calls, poked his head out of the window, which he left partly open for ventilation in the coldest nights, and answered, rather gruffly, “Well, what’s wanted?” He never allowed his own children, nor any persons except his nephew Bog, and a few old firemen, friends of his, to visit him in the tower at night.  Uncle Ith was conscientious.  The presence of his children, with whom he loved to converse, or that of strangers, who would stare vacantly all over the lighted city, and ask innumerable questions, interfered with the strictness of his watch.  Uncle Ith was a little eccentric, too, in his devotion to duty.

“It’s me, uncle,” said Bog, screaming upward.

“Glad to see you, Bog.  You can come up,” shouted the old man in return.  He slung a latch key, fastened to a string, out of the window.  It slid down the side of the tower, into Bog’s hand.  He unlocked the door, and the next moment the key was jerked aloft.  The boy entered the base of the tower.  He was so familiar with every crook and passage, that the small light of a gas jet, inside, was not necessary to show him the way.  Up he ran, sometimes clearing two steps at a jump, slipping his hand lightly along the rough wooden banister.  A few spiral turns brought him to the bell, which hung in an open framework of timber.  He gave the huge bronze a familiar tap as he passed, and wound on and upward until he came to a trap door, which Uncle Ith held invitingly open.  Then he sprang into the little room at the top of the tower, and Uncle Ith shook him by the hand.

“You look well, I see, Bog.  And how is your aunt?” Uncle Ith was mindful of the usages of society, and always asked after her.

“Oh, she’s smart,” said Bog, totally oblivious of her rheumatism, “and sent her love to ye.”  Bog was a peacemaker.

“Sent her rheumatism, I guess yer mean.  No doubt she wishes I had it.”

Bog laughed, and his uncle laughed.  And then his uncle, never forgetting duty, took a sharp look out of the eight clearly polished windows that commanded a view of the surrounding district.  Discovering no sign of fire, he resumed the conversation with his nephew, asking him about his business (which he was happy to learn was prosperous), and giving him a quantity of good advice which none but a genius could remember, or an angel follow.  During these exhortations, Uncle Ith paced to and fro in the little room, looking out of some window at the end of every sentence.  Bog sat on a three-legged stool (the only seat except a backless chair) by the side of a miniature stove, on whose top hissed the kettle, from which Uncle Ith made his pot of coffee at midnight.

The night was cold; the little fire was warm; and Bog liked to hear advice from his uncle; but his eyes would wander to a certain window, as if, for some reason, he would derive great pleasure in opening and looking out of it.  This movement of his eyes was so frequent, that Uncle Ith observed it, and said: