smiling, "and yet it is easy enough to
answer, as you told me just now, when I wondered how you did not know
when the water came into the shaft."

"Pray explain," replied Mr Rawlings. "I didn't keep you in suspense,
you know, when you confessed your inability to answer the question."

"No," said the other, "and I'll treat you as fairly now. You see, at
present there is only an intervening wall, of about one hundred yards in
gross thickness, dividing the shaft from the channel of the gulch
outside. The upper part of the stratum is mere gravel, for as you
found, in winter the river extends beyond the point where you are
sinking. Judging by the eye, I should say that the mouth of the shaft
is twenty feet above the level of the water in the river. So far you
would naturally find no water. When you began work the water in the
river must have been ten feet at least lower than it is at present,
consequently it was no higher than the solid rock where you began to
work down in the quartz. So long as the river was below that level you
naturally would meet with no water whatever, however deep you might
sink, but directly it rose so that it was higher than the level of the
rock, it would penetrate through the gravel like a sieve, and will fill
your shaft as fast as you can pump it out. Gradually the river will
sink as the dry season comes on, and in the autumn will be again below
the level of the rock. You can't wait for that, and must therefore
carry your shaft from the top of the bed rock to the level of the water
in the stream, say twelve-feet in all, but of course we will get the
levels accurately."

"That sounds right," Seth nodded approvingly. "What's go ter be done?"

"The job is by no means a difficult one," Ernest Wilton answered. "In
the first place, we must widen the shaft by a foot down to the level of
the rock, that will give six inches all round. Then we must square off
and level the top of the rock, which will then be a level shaft six
inches wide all round. While you are doing this we must make a drum
ready. That is easily made. We must make four circular frameworks,
fasten twelve-feet planks, carefully fitted together, and pitched
outside them so as to make it perfectly water-tight. We ought to have a
layer of hydraulic lime or cement laid on the rock for the drum to rest
on; but if we have not got them, some well-puddled clay will do as well.
Then when the drum is in position in the shaft of roc