g, so much
so that it only wanted a little imagination for one to think that this
was some terrible torture chamber, the door at the end leading into the
place where the water torment was administered, for the curious musical
dripping and plashing sounded very thrilling and strange in the
solemnity of the night.

That place always attracted me, and though there in the darkness I did
not care to open the door and look down at the black water, I went and
listened, and as I did so it seemed that there was something going on
there. Every now and then, came a splash, and then a hurrying as of
something being drawn over wet bars of wood. Then there were a series
of soft thuds at irregular intervals, and as I listened all this was
magnified by imagination, and I was ready to go and call for Uncle Bob
to descend when a faint squeaking noise brought me to my senses and I
laughed.

"Why, Piter," I said, "what a dog you are! Don't you hear the rats?"

Piter rubbed his great head against me and whined softly.

"Don't care for rats?" I said. "All right, old fellow. I forgot that
you were a bull-dog and did not care for anything smaller than a bull,
unless it were a man."

I stood listening for a few minutes longer, wondering whether some of
the sounds I could hear down by the stonework were made by eels, and,
recalling what Gentles had said, I determined that some evening I would
have a try for the slimy fellows either down below the great water-wheel
or out of the office-window, where I could drop a line into the deepest
part of the dam.

Then I went into the smiths' shops and thought about how sulky Pannell
had been ever since I had talked to him about the wheel-bands.

"This won't do, Piter," I said, trying to rouse myself, for I was
dreadfully sleepy; and I had another trot with the dog after me in his
solid, silent way--for he rarely barked unless it was in anger--but
trotted close behind me wherever I might go.

I cannot tell you what a fight I had that night--for it was more like
night than morning. I walked fast; I tried all sorts of gymnastic
attitudes; I leaped up, caught hold of an iron bar and swung by my arms,
and whenever I did these things I grew as lively as a cricket; but as
soon as, from utter weariness, I ceased, the horrible drowsiness came on
again, and as I walked I actually dreamed that there was a man creeping
along the ground towards the building.

This seemed to wake me, and it was so real