was muddy and slippery, and at last Harry had to
come back and half lead him over; but it was a new feat to him. And now
they reached the mill, which stood upon a little island right in the
river--an island that stretched up the stream right to a point, with a
stout post driven in to break the force of the river, which now seemed
quite angry at being divided, and rushed round on both sides, foaming
and roaring as though it was determined to carry island, mill, and
everything else away.

"Come along, Fred," said Harry; but Fred felt nervous; it was all new to
him, and he could hardly summon up courage to cross the frail bridge
over the foaming waters that rushed down the sluice, and formed a
cataract on the other side--the waters plunging down in a muddy torrent,
and then boiling up in the maddest way. But he grasped his cousin's
hand tightly, and, crossing the bridge, walked round the mill to the
other side. And now he could feel the whole place tremble and vibrate
as the water rushed under the dark arches to the mill wheels, which were
going swiftly round; while inside the tall wooden building, pair after
pair of stones were spinning round and round, turning the hard, firm
corn into white nutritious flour.

Philip led the way, and they entered the mill, where the warning bells
were ringing to give notice that the corn was flowing down rightly; and
the mill-hoppers kept on "ruttle, ruttle;" the water hissed, seethed,
and rushed under their feet; the millstones rumbled round and round; and
there on the top of the sacks, with which the place was half filled, sat
the two great white cats belonging to the miller, fast asleep; while in
a corner, upon a heap of empty corn bags, sat Dusty Bob himself, nodding
and nodding as though he meant to shake his head off.

"Hallo, Bob, hoy!" shouted Harry in a voice which was hardly heard above
the din in the mill.

"Hullo!" said Bob, gruffly, jumping up. "Oh, it's you, young masters,
is it? Well, I expect I've been asleep. I was up half the night, for
we were so busy, and had so much water."

"Here's our cousin from London; and Papa said we might bring him to see
the fish-traps; and he said you were to have that for showing us," said
Philip, pulling out a shilling from his pocket; which action made Bob's
eyes twinkle, and removed all sleepiness.

"Stop a minute, young genelmen," said he, going to a cupboard in a
corner, and taking out a black teapot--at least what should ha