If, however, he could not make more water run out of the well, he could make it more difficult for what did come from it to get away.

First, he stopped up the outlet through the hedge with stones, and clay, and bits of board; then watched as it spread, until he saw where it would try to escape next, and did the same; and so on, taking care especially to keep it from the house.
The mounds were a great assistance to him in hemming it in, but he had hard enough work of it notwithstanding; and soon perceived that at one spot it would get the better of him in a few minutes, and make straight for the back-door.

He ran at once and opened the sluice in the well, and away the stream gurgled underground.
Before morning the water it left had all disappeared.

It had soaked through the mounds, and into the gravel, but comforting the hot roots as it went, and feeding them with dissolved minerals.

Doubtless, also, it lay all night in many a little hidden pool, which the heat of the next day's sun drew up, comforting again, through the roots in the earth, and through the leaves in the air, up into the sky.