a
vault of some sort had been formed; but after a time the matter was
forgotten. No one, indeed, had much fancy for asking the miller
inquisitive questions, as he generally gave such replies as to make
people wish that they had not put them. He was, indeed, looked upon as
a morose, haughty man, who, considering himself superior to the other
inhabitants of the village, was not inclined to allow any familiarity.
He had never been known to seek for custom. He had brought a man with
him to work the mill who was even more surly and morose than his master.
Poor Dusty Dick, as he was called, was deaf and dumb, so that he could
only express his feelings by his looks, and they were unprepossessing in
the extreme. When corn was brought he ground it and returned the proper
quantity of flour on receiving payment, though he would never give it up
without that.

The miller wished it to be understood that he ground his neighbour's
corn as a favour, and that his chief profits arose from turning into
flour the wheat which came by sea on board the lugger. This statement
was borne out by the large number of sacks which her crew were
frequently seen landing. Waggons from a distance also frequently
arrived, and being loaded with flour, were sent off again to the places
from whence they came. The miller's business, however, it was evident,
was not a steady one; sometimes for weeks together the long arms of the
mill were only seen working for a few hours now and then, and at others
the miller and his companions were as busy as bees, while the sails went
spinning round at a great rate, as if trying to make amends for lost
time.

Miles Gaffin continued to make frequent voyages in the lugger, of which
he was generally supposed to be the owner. Sometimes he was several
months together absent. When he came back he was so busy at the mill
that he was seldom seen at the cottage where his family resided.

As soon as his boys were old enough he sent them away to school. When
they came back for their holidays they were noted chiefly for being the
most noisy, wild, and worst mannered lads in the place, especially held
in dread by Miss Pemberton, who had frequently rebuked them when she saw
them playing games on a Sunday in the village, and had received rude
answers in return. The youngest was, notwithstanding, a fine, manly
looking boy, and the only one ever seen in his father's company.

On one occasion Gaffin had taken him on board the