Never one drop of water did they receive from him.

He was for ever taking them water, but he never arrived there with it.

As a rule he upset the pail before he got it on to the boat at all, and this was the best thing that could happen, because then the water simply went back into the river, and did no harm to any one.

Sometimes, however, he would succeed in landing it, and then the chances were he would spill it over the deck or into the passage.

Now and again, he would get half-way up the ladder before the accident occurred.