Chapter 5, The Library

Beswick fastened the wheel back on the bike, spun it around and listened to the whirr it made.
He squeezed the breaks and watched the pads rub against the rim. So smooth! he was proud of his achievement. He looked up at Mr Featherstone who was grinning away.

"Come Master Beswick" he said " Leave your bike here until it is time for you to go"
Mr Biggles jumped of the bench and ran ahead of them to the backdoor. Beswick followed them both. They went up the two small steps through the back door and into the kitchen.
Mr Featherstone went down the hall and opened a door on his right. Beswick followed a few steps behind, He entered the room. A Library!
The room was very tall, bookcases covered three walls, the fourth wall had another door and a bay window. In the bay window was a bench. The center of the room had a large oak rolltop desk, each pigeonhole was neatly stuffed with papers. Beside the desk was a very old globe. A large table behind the desk was covered in stacks of books. Old marvelous books with leather bindings.

"There must be more books here than the Public Library" he said,
Mr Featherstone, smiled" Not really Master Beswick, but I do have a better selection that suites my interests. Today you will help me put the piles of books back on the appropriate shelves. Sometimes I get carried away with my research and I let things get a little messy. I don't like chaos, although it is an interesting field of study."
"People study chaos?" Beswick asked.
"Some do Master Beswick, but it is not my cup of tea. I prefer optics, chemistry and physics. I have dabbled in some botany, but I prefer the physical sciences."
I will give you a few minutes to get familiar with the library, I am going to the kitchen to get us each a nice mug of root beer. I can always use something sweet before I start work" he smiled.
Beswick slowly walked around the room gazing at the shelves like a child in a candy store.
There were books on astronomy, botany, chemistry. It seemed like every topic under the sun.
Each one was alphabetized in its own section.
He strolled over to the table, even though the books were piled high he could see Mr Featherstone had them in order. The first stack must have been chemistry.
Growing crystals by professor Justin Marks.
Crystal Recipes.
The growth of Crystals in Zero Gravity. a paper by Dr. J Deans. N.A.S.A.
Magnetism and Crystal growth.
Mr Featherstone came back with two cold glasses of root beer. "Ah, crystals, a fascinating subject" he smiled. "There will always be room for more studying of crystals. There optic properties, how the resonate, how they glow."
"Think of the possibilities Master Beswick, if you could grow crystals that had the exact properties you wanted them to have. To bend light at just the correct amount. To resonate at just the right frequency. To actually amplify light as it passes through the crystal."
Beswick was trying to understand what resonate meant when suddenly a light came on in his head. "Amplify light! Bend it just right! That is how you fixed my glasses isn't it Mr Featherstone? You grew crystals on them, or covered them with crystals. Something like that!"
"Something like that indeed!" Mr Featherstone chuckled. He took a big swig of root beer. "Master Beswick I do think you have the brains of a scientist! Quite remarkable!
Yes that is what we did, coat the lenses with crystals. Not just any crystal but one that will bend the light to the precise spot required for you to see. For anyone to see for that matter. Your glasses will work for anyone Beswick. The light is amplified too. That is why you can see so clearly, so far away."
"You know what is more remarkable Master Beswick. The fact that you discovered that by yourself. I didn't have to tell you. What an extraordinary young man you are!
Drink up Beswick, there is work to be done!"
Beswick gulped the rootbeer down so fast it burned his throat. He let out a big belch! "Excuse me" he exclaimed!
Mr Featherstone belched too! They both laughed out loud.
Mr Featherstone walked over to the table and scooped the pile of books on crystals. He started placing them back on the shelf in alphabetical order.
Beswick took a smaller pile, he looked at the top book. "Rare Earth Magnets". "Hmm he thought to himself. Where would this go" The next book was entitled " Supercooled Electrical Conductors" Beswick took the books and started placing them in the electrical section of the library.
Back and forth they went, scooping piles of books and placing them back on the shelves. Time whizzed by. Before they realized, it was time for lunch!
Beswick had one last stack of books to put away.
Bioluminescence, the Organic Flashlight by Seymour Midnight.
Bioluminescence of Aequorea.
"I have a hard time reading these titles" Beswick said.
Mr Featherstone smiled back. "Yes I was in the dark with that subject once before too" He chuckled at the thought. Beswick was lost it was way over his head.
"Place them in the organic chemistry section. Alphabetically, just like the other books. You don't have to understand the words just yet. We won't have a test until tomorrow" He laughed out loud at the joke he just made, the look on Beswicks face make him laugh even louder!