''Twor' the runnin' water carried her beyond herself,' he said. 'Ay, sure, that wor' it.'
Before the boys finished their meal the threatened storm broke. There was a tremendous downpour of rain, thundering on the roof and lashing the windows.
'I'd just as lieve be agen this kiln-fire as out in that,' remarked the Raven. 'Seems to me we'll put up here to-night.'
'I dare say he'll let us turn in on his hay, or something like that,' said Dick. 'We'll ask him when he comes back.' For the miller had gone again to the house in his anxiety to see how his grandchild was getting on.
Chippy turned the shorts, which had been put in the best drying-place, and felt them.
'They'll be dry in no time now,' he said, and returned to the jug for the final cup of tea which it contained.
'At the rate we're going on,' laughed Dick, 'we could stop out a month on our ten shillings, Chippy.'
'It 'ud suit me proper,' said the Raven, cutting his bread against his thumb with his jack-knife. The miller had brought them knives from the house, but the scouts preferred to use their own.
The old man was gone a long while, and when he returned Dick had got into his shorts and dry things, and was himself again.
'Ah!' said the miller, 'now p'raps ye'll step across to the house. My missis do want to see ye an' thank ye.'