The burning mill had fallen across the wheel, crushing, at the top, the sides together.
The massive timber had given no further, and the wheel formed a sort of roof, sloping from the outer wall, built solidly up against it, to the opposite foot.

Above, the timber of this wall glared and flickered, but the soddened timber of the wheel could have resisted a far greater amount of heat.

The leet had of course been carried away with the fall, and the water would be flowing down the valley.
The heat was very great, but the rush of air up the deep cut of the mill race rendered it bearable.
Having once grasped the facts--and as he doubted not the fall must have occurred soon after he lost consciousness, and so saved him from being bruised to death--Rupert turned to Hugh.
He was quite insensible, but his heart still beat.

Rupert crawled out of the wheel, and found pools of water in the mill race, from which he brought double handfuls, and sprinkled Hugh's face.

Then as he himself grew stronger from fresh air and a copious dousing of his face and head with water, he dragged Hugh out, and laying him beside a pool dashed water on his face and chest.