“I saw one in the cellar, Nat, when I was nosing about for some old flower-pots to cover my transplanted flowers,” now remarked Norma.
“Then I’ll get it out right after breakfast, and see if it will screw onto the hydrant.”
Norma went with Natalie as she went down the outside cellar-steps to the partitioned corner where the hose had been seen. It was wound on an old wooden rack that could be carried up to the grass-plot and turned to unwind the long piece of rubber.
“Isn’t it great to discover this all ready for us?” said Natalie delightedly.
“With a brass cap on one end to screw it to the hydrant, too,” added Norma.
The other girls gathered around to watch the two gardeners manipulate the hose, and when it had been carefully unwound Natalie dragged one end over to the hedge to try and screw the cap to the hydrant.
This was soon accomplished, and Norma then straightened out the length of rubber to allow the water to flow through it more readily when Natalie should turn the faucet. As the unexpected advent of a garden hose was a cause for celebration, the four girls called to Mrs. James to come out and watch the sprinkler work.
Rachel felt that she must be on the spot also, so she hurried out, wiping her wet hands on her apron as she came.
“All ready, Nat,—turn on the water!” called Norma, as she picked up the end with the sprinkler on it.
Natalie turned the brass faucet and instantly the flow of water swelled the hose out, but there were many punctures in its length, and one serious crack, so that the water spurted up through the holes and made graceful fountains. There was enough force of water, however, to cause a fine shower of water to come from the sprinkler, until suddenly, without warning, a sound as of a muffled explosion came, and quite near the sprinkler the rubber burst and shot forth a stream of water.