,
forming a pretty deep pool about ten feet in diameter. Flowing out of
this pool, it ran about twelve feet further through a narrow gorge,
where it dropped over another ledge. Now, all that we had to do was to
shut up the outlet of the narrow gorge with a strong dam, and so cause
the pool to swell and rise into a small but very deep pond.

Our first step was to divert the channel of the brook so as to leave us
free to construct the dam. The nature of the ground rendered this easy
enough. Then, before going further, we made the trough which was to
conduct the water out of the dam. It was made of four strong planks
about ten feet long and eight inches wide, forming, so to speak, a
square pipe. This we laid firmly in the bottom of the basin with its
end projecting over the lower ledge. To the inner end we attached a
perpendicular piece of wooden piping which rose several feet from the
ground. This was meant to prevent mud and stones from getting into, and
choking, the pipe.

This done, we laid some very large timbers over the pipe and across the
opening of the gorge, above and between which we put heavy stones and
large quantities of gravel--also turf and twigs, and all sorts of
rubbish. Thus was the dam begun, and we continued the process until we
raised it to a height of some twenty feet or so.

"What a magnificent pool it will be to dive in!" said Lumley, one day,
when he came to see us at work.

"Won't it," said I; "especially in winter!"

"Whatever happens to your works, the dam, I think, will never give way,"
continued Lumley; "it seems to me unnecessarily strong."

Not to try the reader's patience, I may say at once that we advanced
with our labour without a hitch until it was nearly finished. To the
opening in the pipe or spout we attached a powerful sluice, by which to
stop the flow desired, and, all being ready, broke down the dyke that
had turned aside our stream, and let the water in. Of course we had
constructed an overflow part of the basin, by which to conduct the
surplus water back to its proper channel below our works.

It was a trying moment when we first let the water in. Would it leak?--
would it break down?--was in everyone's mind. I had no fear as to the
latter point, but felt uncertain as to the former. We had much longer
to wait, however, for the filling than I had expected; but when at last
it was full up to the brim, and the trees around were reflected on its
surface, and no