“That’s another plague,” said Rollo. “It will run up to the side of the basin, and stick there.”
“What makes it?” said Mary.
“I don’t know,” said Rollo.
Mary sat down upon the platform, and examined the needle and the surface of the water very carefully. She observed that the water was heaped up a little against the side of the basin, all around. She asked Rollo to observe it.
“Yes,” said he, “and the needle and cork run right up that ridge of water.”
“And the bubbles too,” said Mary.
Mary pointed, when she said this, to several little bubbles which were adhering closely to the side of the basin, in another place.
She took up a little straw, and pushed away some of the bubbles from the side of the basin, and then gently moved them back again until they were pretty near, and observed that they would immediately rush up against the side again. She did not understand this phenomenon, especially as the water was raised a little along the edge by the side of the basin, so that the bubbles and the needle actually appeared to rush up hill.
After examining this for some time, Mary moved the cork float, with the needle upon it, back into the middle of the basin, and then left it to itself. It slowly moved around until it pointed to the garden gate, as it had done before.
“Now what is the reason?” said Rollo; “that isn’t north.”