If that had once happened, good-by to all chance of ever beholding this thing again, for the river was coming, with fury and foam, to assert its ancient right of way.
With a short laugh the miller jumped down into the pit.

"Me to be served so, by my own mill-stream! Lor', if I don't pay you out for this!" His righteous wrath failed to stop the water from pouring into the pit behind him; and, strong as he was, he nearly lost his footing, having only mud to stand upon.

It seemed to me that he was going to be drowned, and I offered him the handle of my spud to help him; but he stopped where he was, and was not going to be hurried.
"I got un now," he said; "now I don't mind coming out.

You see if I don't pay you out for this! Why, I always took you for a reasonable hanimal." He shook his fist strongly at the river, which had him well up to the middle by this time; and then he disdainfully waded out, with wrath in all his countenance.
"I've a great mind to stop there, and see what her would do," he said to me, forgetting altogether what he went for.

"And I would, if I had had my dinner.