hat concerned
him most was the narrowness of the manhole or entrance at the top, and
the generally dilapidated state of the whole affair.

The well, instead of being a circular hole in the ground lined with
brick, like ordinary wells, was composed of huge iron cylinders four
feet in diameter, fitted together and sunk ninety feet into the ground.
This vast tube or circular iron well rested on a foundation of
brick-work. When sunk to its foundation its upper edge was just level
with the ground. Inside of this tube there were a variety of
cross-beams, and a succession of iron ladders zigzagging from top to
bottom, so that it could be descended when empty. At the time of Joe's
visit it was found nearly full of water. Down the centre of the well
ran two iron pipes, or pumps, each having a "rose" at its lower end,
through which the water could be sucked and pumped up to a reservoir a
hundred feet high for the supply of the town. These two pumps were
worked by an engine whose distinguishing features were noise and
rickets. It could, however, just do its work; but, recently, something
had gone wrong with one of the pumps--no water was thrown up by it. Two
results followed. On the one hand the water-supply to the town became
insufficient, and, on the other, the surplus water in the well could not
be pumped out so as to permit of a man descending to effect repairs. In
these circumstances a diver became absolutely necessary. Hence the
visit of Baldwin and Machowl.

"Now then, diver," said the managing engineer of the works to Joe, after
he had examined everything above ground with care, "you see it is
impossible to pump the well dry, because of the defective pump and the
strength of the spring which feeds it. Water is admitted into the great
cylinder through a number of holes in the bottom. These holes therefore
must be stopped. In order to this, you will have to descend in the
water with a bag of wooden pegs and a hammer--all of which are ready for
you--and plug up these holes. You see, the work to be done is simple
enough."

"Ay," asserted Baldwin, "but the way how to set about it ain't so simple
or clear. How, for instance, is a man of my size to squeeze through
that hole at the top?"

"You _are_ large," said the engineer, regarding the diver for a moment,
"but not too large, I should think, to squeeze through."

"What! With a divin' dress on?"

"Ah, true; I fear that is a puzzling difficulty at the outse