intention of climbing to one of the narrow paths that led
in the direction of the upper stream.

They were just on a level with the top of the stone dam, when Will
stopped short. The spot he had chosen for his halt was dark as pitch,
for a clump of bushes overhung the way.

"What's the matter?" said Josh, who came next.

"Be quiet," replied Will.

"Anything wrong?" asked the artist, for they blocked his way.

"N-no," replied Will, dubiously; "only thought I heard something."

"Thought you heard something!" said Manners. "There's not much think
about it. My ears seem stuffed so full of sounds that I can hardly hear
myself speak. The rushing water and its echoes from up above seem to
fill the air. What did you think you heard?"

"That's what I don't know," said Will, thoughtfully, with his lips close
to the speaker's ear; "and I can't hear it at all now. It was a dull,
thumping sort of noise."

"Echo," said Josh. "The wheel's going so much faster round than usual."

"N-n-no," said Will; "it wasn't like that. I wish I could hear it
again."

"What for?" said Josh. "What was the matter? Here, I say, which way
shall we go? I know: let's go and see if any of the old owls are out
beating the ivy for birds."

"There," cried Will, "that's it! You can hear it now! Listen!"

All stood perfectly still for a few moments.

"Water, water everywhere, and far too much to drink," said Manners,
spoiling a quotation. "I can't hear anything else."

"Oh, Mr Manners! Why, there it is, quite plain. You can hear it,
can't you, Josh?"

"Thumpety, thumpety, thump, thump, thump!" said Josh. "Sounds like
somebody beating a bit of carpet indoors. Why, it's only echoes."

"Pooh! What could make echoes like that?"

"The great axle of the wheel worked a little loose in its bearings
through the weight of the water."

"Nonsense! Can't be that."

"All right! What is it, then?"

"Don't know, don't care. It's a nocturnal noise, isn't it, Mr
Manners?"

"Well, it's a noise," said the artist, "as if someone was hammering with
a wooden mallet. I heard it quite plainly just now, and it seemed to
come from below there, out of the darkness down at the bottom of the
dam."

"Oh, no," cried Josh, "it was from right up yonder, ever so high."

"No, no," said Will; "it seemed to me to come from just opposite where
we are standing now."

"Echo," said the artist, laconically.

"Yes," said Will; "carried here and ther