they found themselves, almost on the moment, deserted.

"Here you are," said the child, with somewhat of a touch of pride in her
voice. "Didn't I say I'd get you in all right? Don't turn that light up
too bright. Someone might see it from the road. And get out early in the
morning, before old Ellison comes. Good night and sleep tight. And don't
you ever, ever tell, or I'll catch it. I don't need the lantern. I can
feel my way."

The next moment she was gone. They would have detained her, to ask more
about herself; about the mill wherein they were; to ask about Ellison,
the owner. But it was too late. They heard her steps, faintly, as she
traversed the dangerous network of planking, and then only the steady,
dripping sound came in through the little doorway.

"Well," exclaimed Harvey, throwing himself down on a pile of meal-bags,
close by the fire, "this isn't the worst place I ever got into, if it is
old and rickety. Don't that fire feel good?"

He drew off his dripping sweater and hung it on a box, which he set
near, and rubbed his arms vigorously.

"This is such a funny old room I can't keep still in it," he continued.
"The fire feels great, but I want to explore and see what kind of a
place I'm in."

"Oh, sit down and be comfortable," replied Henry Burns. "Just make
believe you're in the cabin of the _Viking_."

"Say, Henry," exclaimed Harvey warmly to his friend's reply, "do you
know I'm half sorry we let the _Viking_ go for the summer. Of course
'twas mighty nice of Tom and Bob to ask us to spend the summer in Benton
with them; but I don't know as canoeing and fishing and that sort of
thing will do for us. I'd like to have a hand on the old _Viking's_
wheel right now."

"Oh, we'll get sailing, too," answered Henry Burns. "We're going to try
the pond, you know. Hello, there's a wheel, now. Looks like a ship's
wheel, at that--only rougher. You can stand your trick at that, if you
want to, while I sit by the fire."

He was sorry he spoke, the next moment, for Harvey--never too
cautious--gave a roar of delight, and darted over to where his friend
had pointed.

There, attached to a small shaft that protruded from the wooden
partition which divided the two lower rooms of the mill, was a large,
wooden wheel, with a series of wooden spokes attached to its rim, after
the manner of a ship's wheel.

"Hooray!" bawled Harvey, seizing the wheel and giving it several
vigorous turns, "keep her off, did you say, skip