agon-house; over this was the granary, and flour and meal
store; above this were the bolting-rooms, the ground wheat running
through spouts to the store-rooms below. On the next floor above were
the mill-stones, and the simple machinery that turned them. And, above
all, at the very top of the tower, was the main shaft of the great
wings outside. These wings caught the winds, and compelled them
to work the machinery with such force as to make the strong tower
tremble. There were balconies around the first and third stories of
the mill. It was quite a picturesque object standing among low trees
on a pretty, quiet stream, the banks of which were higher and more
uneven than was usual in that part of the country.

The miller lived in a small house near the mill with his wife and his
little daughter Hildegarde, the latter of whom was near Greta's age.

The boys did not take as much interest in the miller's house as their
parents took; but when they were shown into a large outer room, and
were told it was the cow-stable, they had no words with which to
express their astonishment. They would have said it was the show-room
of the place. There was not a speck on the whitewashed walls; the pine
ceiling was so clean it fairly glistened; there were crisp, white
muslin curtains at the windows. The raised earthen floor was covered
with pure white sand, arranged in fancy designs. There were some small
round tables standing about, and on them were ornaments of china and
silver, and a variety of knick-knacks.

During the summer the cows were in the pasture day and night, but in
the winter they occupied this room. Then the tables were removed, but
the place was kept very neatly. This was necessary, for the stable
adjoined the house, and the party passed into the barn through a door
in the cow-stable.

All except the two boys. Will hung back and motioned to Martin not to
go into the barn.

"I am tired of this sort of thing," he said. "Let us go and sail our
boats."

"Very well," said Martin, "I'll call the girls."

"No," said Will; "there are too many of them. They'll only be in the
way. They'll have a good time together, and we'll have some fun by
ourselves."

Martin seldom dissented from Will's decisions, so the two boys went
back into the house to get their ships, and passed out of another
door to the bridge and across the stream. They had gone but a short
distance when Martin, who had seemed very thoughtful, stopped opposite