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Updated: June 4, 2025
The scaring necessity was, that he must stoop and kneel right over the water-but, in order to send his legs in advance down the wall to the top of the mound. It was a moment of agony. That very moment, with an appalling unearthly cry, something dark, something hideous, something of inconceivable ghastliness, as it seemed to Tommy, sprang right out of the water into the air.
The old lady began to doubt the boy's sanity, but she went on questioning him. "How did you have a baby with you, then?" "The baby was my own, ma'am. I took her out of the water-but." Once more Clare had to tell his story from the time, that is, when his adoptive father and mother died.
"You'll let the police know where we are!" "Do let me in, Clare! I'm so 'ungry and so cold!" "Then I shall have to put you in the water-but! I said I would!" "If you don't promise not to, I'll go straight to the police. They'll take the brat from you, and put her in the workhouse!" Clare thought for a moment whether it would not be right to kill such a traitor.
The well was almost inaccessible: to get to it and return would fearfully waste life-precious time! The rain-water in the little pool must serve the necessity! It was preferable to that in the but! Until many years after, it did not occur to Clare as strange that there should be even a drop of water in that water-but. Whence was it fed?
A few steps brought him to what Tommy had taken for a great hole. It was nothing but a pool of rain-water: the splash could not have come from that! Then it occurred to him that the water-but could not be far off. He forced his way through shrubs of various kinds, and reaching the wall, went back along it until he came to the but.
So the moment he could escape from his tormenters, off went Tommy for home. But as he ran he remembered that there was but one way into the house, and that was by the very lip of the water-but. Clare woke up suddenly at a sound which all his life would wake him from the deepest slumber: he thought he heard the whimpering of a child. The baby was fast asleep. Instantly he thought of Tommy.
But he sat down only to wheel on the pivot of his spine, as he had seen them do on the counter in the shop, and sit with his legs alongside of the water-but. Then he drew Tommy from his shoulder, in spite of his clinging, and laid him across his knees; and Tommy, divining there were words yet to be said, and hoping to get off with a beating, which he did not mind, remained silent.
Clare covered him up warm, thatching all with a piece of loose carpet, and he was asleep directly. The next day all terror of the water-but was gone from the little vagabond's mind. He was now, however, thoroughly afraid of Clare, and his conceit that, though Clare was the stronger, he was the cleverer, was put in abeyance. How things went for a time.
I can't set down the baby to catch you!" replied the unsuspicious Clare, and turned to seek an exit from the cellar. He had not had time yet to wonder how Tommy had got out. Tommy came tumbling on the top of the coals: he dared not be left with the water-but and the pool and the moon. "Where are you, Clare?" he called.
He seemed to see him shut out in the night, and knew at once how it was with him: he had gone out without thinking how he was to get back, and dared not go near the water-but! He jumped out of bed, put on his shoes, and in a minute or two was over the wall and walking along the lane outside of it, to find the deserter.
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