"Mostly," said Willie.
"You little wizard! what have you been about? I can't understand it. We
must make a drain for it at once."
"Bury a beauty like that in a drain!" cried Willie. "O papa!"
"Well, I don't know what else to do with it. How is it that it never
found its way out before--somewhere or other?"
"I'll soon show you that," said Willie. "I'll soon send it about its
business."
He had thought, when he first saw the issuing water, that the weight
of the fallen stones and the hard covering of earth being removed, the
spring had burst out with tenfold volume and vigour; but had satisfied
himself by thinking about it, that the cause of the overflow must be the
great stone he had set leaning against the side the last thing before
dropping work the previous night: it must have blocked up the opening,
and prevented the water from getting out as fast as before, that is, as
fast as the spring rose. Therefore he now laid hold of the rope, which
was still connected with the stone, and, not aware of how the water
would help him by partly floating it, was astonished to find how easily
he moved it. At once it swung away from the side into the middle of the
well; the water ceased to run over the edge, with a loud gurgling began
to sink, and sank down and down and down until the opening by which it
escaped was visible.
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