"The work went bravely on; the inventor very frequently mounting his
horse, and riding over to see how it proceeded.

"When the frame was up, and the building approached its completion, the
engineer rode over to Monticello to obtain a supply of money, and to get
some directions about the saws.

"Jefferson kept him to dinner; and when the cloth was removed and wine
sat upon the table, he turned to his guest, and with an air of much
satisfaction, exclaimed,

"'And so, Mr.----, you like my mill.'

"'I do, sir, indeed, very much; it is certainly one of the greatest
improvements in the construction of saw mills I ever witnessed.'

"'You think the sails are so hung that it cannot fail to work?'

"'Certainly; it must work, it cannot help it.'

"'And there's always a wind upon that hill; if it does not come up one
valley, it is sure to come up the other; and the hill is so high and
steep that there is nothing to interrupt the full sweep of the wind,
come which way it will. You think, then, on the whole, that the thing
cannot fail of complete success?'

"'I should think so, sir, but for one thing.'

"'Ah! What's that?'