The sun was pouring its beams into the right-hand windows when they started, but the shafts of light now began to sweep circularly across the floor, and in a few moments, as they faced the sun, it ceased to shine in from the right. Immediately afterward it shone in at the left-hand windows and circled slowly around until again they were in shadow with the sun behind them.
Droop took out his watch and timed their revolutions by the sun's progress from window to window.
"'Bout one to the minute," he remarked. "Guess I'll speed her up a mite."
Carefully he regulated the speed, timing their revolutions accurately.
"There!" he said at length. "I guess that's pretty nigh two to the minute. D'ye feel any side weight?" he said, addressing his companions.
"No," said Rebecca.
Phœbe shook her head.
"You manage right well, Mr. Droop," she said. "You must have practised a good deal."
"Oh, not much," he replied, greatly pleased. "The future man showed me how to work it three—four times. It's simple 'nough when ye understand the principles."
These remarks brought a new idea to Rebecca's mind.