d to run for a few
yards, then turned to look back, as, after several warning cracks, the
whole of the great white timber-built mill literally crumbled down over
its undermined foundations and disappeared in the surging waters.

"I knowed it!" panted the miller. "Poor old place! I've spent many a
happy year there. Well, I come in time to save your life, squire."

"And I come to try and save his, but not in time," groaned Jerry. "Oh,
my poor dear lad!" he continued, as he leaned his arm against a tree and
bent his head upon it to weep aloud, "you were the master, and I'm only
a servant, but I'd ha' most give my life to ha' saved yours, that I
would. Yes!" he cried, fiercely, now in a wild, hysterical voice; "it
would ha' been better if you, too, hadn't come in time!"

CHAPTER EIGHT.

ANOTHER TURN OF THE WHEEL.

As if heartily ashamed of his weakness, Jerry suddenly straightened
himself up, and turned angrily upon the miller.

"Don't you never go and say you saw me making such a fool of myself!" he
cried.

The man shook his head.

"Think it's any good to go up to the town for a boat?"

"If you want to drown yourself," was the reply. "I wouldn't trust
myself in no boat till the water goes down. I shouldn't mind the rowing
down; but you'd never know where you'd got to, and be capsized on a
willow stump, or against some hedge, before you had gone a mile."

"But we might find him," said Jerry, looking piteous once more.

"Ay, you might find him, my lad. There's no knowing."

"But you think we should not?"

"Sure of it!"

Jerry turned away without a word, leaving the miller staring blankly at
the spot where the old place had stood, and hurried back toward the
town.

"Past seven!" he muttered, "and all those boots and shoes waiting.
Breakfast'll have to be late."

It sounded strange, but it was quite natural for him to mix up his daily
work with this business; and upon reaching the house, as if feeling
satisfied that there was no more to be done, he hurried about over his
valeting, beginning with Mr Draycott, but found that he was not in his
room.

The tutor came, though, five minutes later, and, meeting his man,
exclaimed with animation:

"Better news, Brigley."

"No, sir," said Jerry, shaking his head. "Worse--much worse!"

"How dare you, sir?" cried the tutor, irritable from a sleepless night.
"I tell you the news is better, and we have hopes."

"And I tell you, sir, that the news is