I spoke of the continued rain—“We haven't had a drop too much yet,” and Bettesworth replied—

“No; we was prayin' for it long enough.”

Then, “'T en't gone into the ground no great ways yet. … Why, there's Jimmy Norris's well give out, even. He's runnin' about all over the place, to find somebody 's 'll go down 'n. Dangerous well that is: he's like a cork-screw: and the steynin' all hangin' loose, too. Ol' Tommy Martin bin down 'n a good many times; but he says ‘never no more.’ Norris ast my nephew Harry over here: ‘You go down fust and inspect, and then I'll go down.’. ‘If that's it, you best go fust yerself,’ Harry says.”

Here I laughed, “Yes—one need be hard up, to risk his life for a fellow like Jimmy Norris!”

“Yes—for to oblige he, I should think so! I'd sooner go up a thousand foot. If there is any danger, you can see it; but down the bottom 'f a well, you got to bide an' take it.

“I remember one time, when that swearin' ol' Jack Knowles was about, what used to live in Church Street—he used to go about a good bit 'long o' the plumbers, and he was helpin' at a well.