do," said Mr Solomon angrily. "No more of that, please."

"You mind your own business, Browny. Anyone would think you were the
master here."

"Master or no, here's Sir Francis coming. Let's see whether he likes
you to be throwing stones down the well."

Mr Solomon uttered a sigh of relief, for, as Sir Francis came along a
neighbouring path, the two lads slowly walked away.

"That's a blessing," he said. "Now we can work in peace. You'll try
her first--won't you, plumber?"

"All right, gardener. What are you scared about?"

Mr Solomon looked at him angrily and then said:

"I don't know that I'm scared about you, my man; but I don't want to
risk my life, or to send down one of my men to fetch you out."

The plumber grunted, and I looked on wondering what the danger was, for
I knew nothing then about chemistry or foul gases; and I stared all the
more when the plumber took a ball of thin string from his jacket pocket,
tied the candle with a couple of half hitches, and then struck a match
and lit the wick. Then as soon as it was burning brightly, sheltered by
his hands from the breeze, he stooped down and held it in the well and
then lowered it down.

We stood round watching the candle swing gently and the flame dance as
the plumber slowly unrolled the ball of string.

At first the light looked very pale; but it grew brighter as it left the
sunshine near the mouth of the well and lit up the dark slimy-looking
old bricks, the rusty iron pipe, and the cross pieces of timber, while
far down I could now and then catch sight of the cylinder of the pump as
the candle began to swing now like a pendulum. It was very indistinct,
just gleaming now and then, while the walls glistened, and I realised
more and more what a horrible place it would be for anyone to fall into.

I was full of imaginings of horror, and I fancied the fearful splash,
the darkness, the rising to the surface, and then the poor wretch--
myself perhaps--striving to get my fingers in between the slippery
bricks, and getting no hold, and then--"There!--what did I tell you?"
said Mr Solomon.

"She's a foul un, and no mistake," growled Ike.

"Oh! that's nothing," said the plumber. "I've been down worse wells
than that."

I was puzzled, for it seemed to me that the candle must be bad. As I
had watched it the flame grew brighter and brighter as it reached the
darkness, and then it burned more palely, grew smaller, and then all at
once it turned