Part 23 (1/2)

That was something unusual which had just caught his eye, for as he spoke he turned to look right along the top of the dam, where he seemed to see a strange disturbance on the surface of the water just at the end where the wall joined the rugged cliff.

”It must be a great trout,” he said, ”one that's being beaten against the stones, and is half-dead. No; I believe it's an otter.”

He ran along the top of the wall and looked down in wonder, to see that a strange whirlpool seemed to have been formed, where twigs of dead wood, bits of gra.s.s, and autumn leaves were sailing round and round, before being sucked down a central hole.

”What does that mean?” he thought; but he acted as well as thought, going quite to the edge of the wall, and then descending the steep built-up slope of stones and cemented earth, to where at the base of the dam-wall he found himself face to face with a sight so suggestive of peril that he turned at once and ran for the mill.

For there below, gus.h.i.+ng as it were from the bottom of the wall, was a little stream--a little fount equalling in bulk the tube-like shape formed by the swirling water he had noticed far above.

The quant.i.ty was small, and quite a tiny stream ran down the valley, cutting itself a channelled course; but Will knew enough--knew the power of water, and what such a tiny stream could do. In short, in those brief moments he had grasped the fact that a dangerous flaw had been formed in the dam, which, if unchecked, might mean destruction to them all.

”Father! Father!” cried Will, rus.h.i.+ng into his father's bedroom.

”I'm afraid it's worse, my boy,” was the reply. ”I'll lie still for a few hours and see if my headache pa.s.ses off.”

”Father, wake up; you don't understand--the water's breaking through the dam!”

There was a heavy b.u.mp on the floor, which made the wash-hand jug rattle in the basin, as Mr Willows sprang out of bed, with his headache quite cured by the nervous shock.

”Do you mean it? Are you sure?”

”Yes, father, it's twice as big now as it was when I saw it first.”

”Ah!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr Willows, and he stood for a moment with brow knit and fists clenched, like a man gazing inwards.

”Run to the big bell, boy, and pull with all your might!”

”Yes, father. Is it very dan--”

”Run! Act!” was the reply, and in a few seconds the great bell was sending its notes in what seemed to the boy a harsh jangle, such as he had never heard before.

Rung at such a time and in such a manner, it carried but one message to those who heard--Danger!--and in a very short time the work-people came hurrying from the cottages which formed a scattered village down the vale, to where their master was standing on a block of stone where he could be well seen, waiting to give his orders.

”You, Dacey,” he shouted to the first man, ”take one of the horses-- don't stop to saddle--and gallop right down the vale, giving the warning. Stop nowhere--shout as you go by each cottage, 'The dam bursts!'”

The man was off, and, while Willows was giving fresh orders, the clatter of the horse's hoofs was heard, and the man pa.s.sed out of sight.

Meanwhile, from the directions Willows was giving, the alarm was spreading fast, men's voices giving it everywhere.

There were a few women's shrieks heard, children began to cry, and there was wild excitement about the Mill House. Women's voices, too, were heard remonstrating, and words were uttered about saving this or that; but Willows rushed up to the first group, and shouted--

”Silence, there! Save your lives! Up the sides as fast as you can, and as high as you can climb. At any moment the dam may be washed away like so much salt. Think of nothing but your lives!”

A wild yearning cry full of despair arose at this, but the master's words went home, and the next minute the hurried scrambling of feet was heard, as women, carrying their children, began to climb up the sides of the vale, dragged and pushed up by the menfolk, in whose faces were seen reflected the looks of their chief; but to a man they were grim and stern; and all the while, harsh, wild and strange, bringing down as it were a shower of echoes of its tones, the great bell rang on, swung to and fro, and over and over under the feverish impulse given by Will's untiring arms.

So effective were the commands, so deeply imbedded in every breast was the knowledge of what might happen, that the time seemed short before Mr Willows could draw breath and feel satisfied that the weaker portion of the community were in safety.

”Now,” he cried, ”you who are old, and all you boys, follow the women.

No words--Go! Now, my lads, you who are ready to work, let's see what we can save. But, mind, it must be one eye for what you are doing and one for yon tottering wall.”