Then Frank called them, and after helping them into the canoe and telling them to sit quiet as 'possums, paddled it up the wild, beautiful river to the mill.
This was a novel experience to the little Wakulla girl, who had never in her life before travelled so easily and swiftly.

She afterwards told her mother that, as she looked far down into the clear depths of the water above which they glided, she thought she knew how angels felt flying through the air.
By the time they reached the mill more than a hundred persons were assembled near it, and Mr.Elmer was talking to them from the steps.
They were in time to hear him say, "The Elmer Mill is now about to be opened for business and set to work.
A bushel of corn belonging to Uncle Silas Brim, the oldest man present, has been placed in the hopper, and will be the first ground." Then Mark, who, as president of the Elmer Mill and Ferry Company, was allowed the honor of so doing, pressed a lever that opened the floodgates.

A stream of water dashed through the race, the great wheel began to turn, and, as they heard the whir of the machinery, the crowd cheered again and again.

In a little while Uncle Silas Brim's corn was returned to him in the form of a sack of fine yellow meal.

After that the bushels of corn poured in thick and fast, and for the rest of the day the Elmer Mill continued its pleasant work of charity.
As the novelty of watching the mill at work wore off, the people began to stroll towards the grove near the sulphur spring, in which an odd-looking structure had been erected the day before, and now attracted much attention.