of willingness by word can wilfully and culpably fail in deed.

"I be a uncommon vool, maester, sartinly," blubbered George on one
occasion when the miller was on the point of turning him off, as a
preliminary step on the road to the "gallus," which Master Lake
expressed his belief that he was "sartin sure to come to." And, as
he spoke, George made dismal daubs on his befloured face with his
sleeve, as he rubbed his eyes with his arm from elbow to wrist.

"Sech a governor as you be, too!" he continued. "Poor mother! she
allus said I should come to no good, such a gawney as I be! No more
I shouldn't but for you, Master Lake, a-keeping of me on. Give un
another chance, sir, do 'ee! I be mortal stoopid, sir, but I'd work
my fingers to the bwoan for the likes of you, Master Lake!"

George stayed on, and though the very next time the windmiller was
absent his "voolish" assistant did not get so much as a toll-dish of
corn ground to flour, he was so full of penitence and promises that
he weathered that tempest and many a succeeding one.

On that very eventful night of the storm, and of Jan's arrival,
George's neglect had risked a recurrence of the sail catastrophe.
At least if the second man's report was to be trusted.

This man had complained to the windmiller that, during his absence
with the strangers, George, instead of doubling his vigilance now
that the men were left short-handed, had taken himself off under
pretext of attending to the direction of the wind and the position
of the sails outside, a most important matter, to which he had not,
after all, paid the slightest heed; and what he did with himself,