I hurried downstairs, for the window was too high for a jump; and as soon as I rushed to the door, Goblin gave utterance to his one syllable address, seized the watch, and went hopping along the path till he reached the well, where he perched upon the open lid; and as I stopped, half paralysed, and stooped to pick up a stone, Goblin made me a bow, raised his tail with a flick, and then to my horror he left hold of the watch, and I just reached the well in time to hear it, not say "tick," but "splash," while the thief hopped into the walnut-tree overhead. This settled the matter; and two mornings after, a cart stopped at the gate, and Thomas Bore, well-sinker, arrived, accompanied by two labourers, for the purpose of nominally cleaning out the well, but really recovering the watch. "Now, yer see, sir," said Thomas Bore, leaning on the windlass and spitting down the well, of course, from habit, "yer see, sir, when we've done, this here water 'll be clear as crischial. But all this here wood-wuck's old-fashioned. Now I could fit yer up a fust-rate, double action, wheel crank forcer, as 'ud send the water a-flying up like a steam-engine." "Rather expensive," I hinted. "Mere trifle, sir. Fifty pun, at the outside." "Well, suppose we have the cleaning done first," I said; and being rather timid over such matters, for fear of being persuaded, I turned upon my heel and fled to my breakfast. Being of a fidgetty turn of mind, and liking to have my money's worth for my money, I kept an eye upon the proceedings beneath the walnut-tree; and I found that the first two hours were taken up with sitting down, Indian fashion, for a palaver or consultation, during which, in a way of speaking, the trio felt the patient's pulse--Goblin fitting in the walnut-tree to see how matters progressed. The rest of the day was taken up with the removal of the old green windlass, and the fixing of one brought over for the purpose; and then two buckets having been flung, the windlass began to turn, and, very slowly, bucket after bucket of water was drawn up; and so eagerly did the men work, that at the end of three days the well was pronounced dry. Now I had been reckoning that a couple of days would have sufficed for the job; and, therefore, felt disposed to stare when, on going out upon the fourth morning, I found the men still groaning over the task, so as to get out the water that had come in during the night. By noon, however, this was accomplished; when there followed another consultation, the theme being that the well was not safe. I felt that I was in for it, and muttered to myself "Let well alone;" but it was too late now, so I grinned and bore my troubles--to wit, the very calm proceedings of the men whose united energies, tools, tackling, etc, were costing me at least a guinea per diem, while the well was as dirty as ever.