“Arrah, now,” said he, giving the hand a friendly shake, “it’s somethin’ you’re wantin’, sure. What a pity it is wan can’t spake wid his fingers!”
Presently the hand shut itself as if grasping something, and moved in a distinct and steady manner.
“Och! It’s a hammer he wants. He’s gone an’ lost it. Here you are, boy—there’s another.”
The hand disappeared, transferred the implement to the left hand, and reappeared, evidently asking for more.
“What now, boy?” muttered Rooney, with a perplexed look.
“Doubtless he wants more pegs,” said the engineer of the works, coming up at the moment.
“Sure, sur, that can’t be it, for if he’d lost his pegs wouldn’t they have comed up an’ floated?”
“They’ve caught somewhere, no doubt, among the timbers on the way up. Anyhow, I had provided against such an accident,” said the engineer, putting another bag of pegs into the impatient hand.
It seemed satisfied, and disappeared at once.
Joe returned to the bottom, and succeeded in plugging every hole, so that the water from the outside spring could not enter. That done, he ascended, and signalled to the engineer to begin pumping. The rickety engine was set to work, and soon reduced the water so much that Rooney was able to re-descend and undress his friend. Thereafter, in about five hours, the well was pumped dry. The engineer then went down, and soon discovered that one of the pump-rods had been broken near the foot, and that its bucket lay useless at the bottom of the pipe. The repairs could now be easily made, and our divers, having finished their difficult and somewhat dangerous job, returned home. (See Note 1.)