"It's another of God's men!" he said. "He's comed at last!"
The man outside came nearer them; then he seized hold of the door handle and tried to move it, and then he called out cheerily:
"Why, you're bricked in! There's nearly a ton of mortar and stones keeping you fast. Wait a bit, till I clear it away."
It seemed a very long time to the children before the doorway was cleared, but they were frightened no longer. And it was a happy moment when the door moved, opened, and they confronted a strange gentleman in fishing garb.
"Well, upon my word!" he ejaculated as he looked the children up and down. "How on earth did you get shut in there?"
They told him.
Noel, with shining eyes, concluded:
"And you're one of God's men, aren't you? He sent you. We asked Him to. I told Inez I was perfully sure God would send somebody."
The young man laughed.
"I have been fishing down the river and had just got to this old mill-house when I heard your cries. It's lucky I came this way; it was just a chance I didn't go up the other way!"