'Naw then!' shouted Bill; 'in wi't irons, just at place wheer t' can'l stands.'
The grapplers were cast in, and caught immediately in some object near the surface. The men drew at the ropes, and the waters gurgled and were disturbed about the loaf, producing a broad commotion. The loaf leaped, turned over, and the light was extinguished. It had accomplished its task.
'Whatever can't be?' asked one of the men. 'Sho might be a coil (coal) barge sunk i' t' canal. Sho's sae heavy.'
'Stay,' said the night-watch. 'T' water for sewer ain't deep here, nobbut up to t' armpits. Whativer it be, 'tis this at ha' caught and held t' cake. Ah fancy t' top o' t' concarn is just belaw t' surface. If some o' you chaps'll help, I'll get in, and together we'll hug it out.'
Two or three volunteered, and after much wading and splashing a cumbrous article was heaved out of the water, but not by three or four men, for several more, taunted by the mill-lasses, went in to the assistance of the first volunteers.
'Why,' rose in general exclamation, 'sho's a pi-ano!'
This discovery provoked a laugh, in which all shared.
'How iver could a piano ha' got there?' was asked.
'That beats a',' shouted another, 'that t' loaf and can'l shud tell where a piano lay drounded.'
'T' instrument 'ud sarve to produce a necessary accompaniment to some o' thy songs, Joe.'