Up, up, up, I went, at first quickly, and then more slowly, and still more
slowly, until the ladder stopped again, with my eyes peering over the top
of the tower.

It was obliging of the ladder to stop there; it could have hurled me over
the top just as easily and broken my neck.

I didn't waste any time in thanking the ladder. Before the accursed thing
could get into motion again, I climbed to the shaft and perched there,
dizzy and bewildered.

Hawkins followed suit, clambered to the opposite end of the shaft, and
arranged himself there, astride.

"Well," I remarked, when I had found a comparatively secure seat on the
bearing--a seat fully two inches wide by four long--"did the gear slip
again?"

"No, of course not," said the inventor. "The windmill simply started
turning in the opposite direction."

"It's a weak, powerless little thing, your windmill, isn't it?"

"Well, when I built it I calculated it to hoist two tons."

"Instead of which it has hoisted two--or rather, one misguided man, who
allowed himself to be enticed within its reach."

"See here," cried Hawkins wrathfully, "I suppose you blame me for getting