"I bet we have a storm bye and bye," Dave said. "But isn't the air up here cool?" "Let's climb up into the loft," Frank urged. "The farmer's wife said we could." "They're all away from home to-day," Wyn said. "But I don't believe they will mind. When we came up for the milk this morning Mrs. Prosser told us they were going on a Sunday school picnic." "I'd like to set the old thing to working," remarked the inquisitive Ferdinand. "What do you know about it, Dave?" "It starts by throwing in this clutch," replied the bigger boy, just inside the door. "If the wind keeps on the farmer will probably grind a grist when he comes back. You see, there are several bags of corn and wheat yonder." The girls were already finding their way up the dusty ladders, from loft to loft of the tower. Frank got to the top floor first and called out her delight at the view. "Come on up!" she cried. "There is plenty of room. It's bigger up here than you think--and the breeze is nice. There are two windows, and that makes a fine draught." The boys trooped up behind the Go-Aheads--all but Ferdinand. But none of them missed him for some minutes. What a view was obtained from the window of the mill! The whole panorama of Lake Honotonka and its shores, with a portion of the Wintinooski Valley, lay spread like a carpet at their feet--woods and fields, cultivated land in the foreground, the rocky ridges of Gannet Island, Jarley's Landing, the Forge, the steep shore of the lake beyond the Wintinooski, and so around to the fine houses in Braisely Park and the smoke of the big city to the west. In the midst of their exclamations there came a sudden jar through the heavily-timbered building that startled them. "What's that?" cried Mina. "An earthquake!" laughed Frankie. "It's the sails!" yelled Dave, starting for the ladder. "What are you doing down there, Ferd?" The groaning and shaking continued. The arms of the windmill were going round and round--every revolution increasing their speed. "Stop that, Ferd!" shouted Dave again, starting to descend the ladder. "Isn't that just like a boy?" demanded Bess, in disgust. "He just _had_ to fool with the machinery." "What do you suppose the miller will say?" queried Wyn, anxiously. The roar of the whirling arms almost drowned their voices. The wind had increased to a brisk breeze. With the sails so well filled the arms turned at top-notch speed. The tower shook as though it were about to tumble down. "Oh, dear me!" moaned Mina, the timid one. "Let us get out of here." "Why doesn't Dave make him stop it?" shouted Frankie. "Why doesn't the foolish Ferd stop it himself?" was Wyn's demand. The other boys were already tumbling down the ladder, and the girls followed as fast as possible. It was rather dark below, and when they came to the ground floor, it was full of dancing dust-particles. Dave and Ferd were busy over the machinery near the door. "Can't you stop it, Dave?" shrieked Percy.