142 History of Gutta-Percha Willie,

 

“Tt’s coming,” cried Sandy, after a pause ; “ not
much, though.”

Down went the sluice a little further still,

“Tt’s pouring,’ echoed the voice of Sandy
amongst the ruins; “as much as ever the pipe can
give. Its mouth is quite full.”

Willie raised the sluice a little.

“ How is it now?” he bawled.

“Less,” cried Sandy.

So Willie pushed it back to where it had been
last, and made a notch in the handle to know the
right place again.

So the water from the Prior’s Well went career-
ing through Willie’s bed-chamber, a story high.
When he wanted to fill his bath, he had only to
stop the run with his hand, and it poured over the
sides into it; so that Tibbie was to be henceforth —
relieved of a great labour, while Willie’s eyes were
to be delighted with the vision, and his ears with
the sounds of the water scampering through his
room.

An hour or so after, as he was finishing off
something about the mouth of the well, he heard
his father calling him.

“Willie, Willie,” he shouted, “is this any more
of your kelpie work?”

“ What is it, father?” cried Willie, as he came
bounding to him.

He needed no reply when he saw a great pool