Another foot, and it would have touched it, and have begun shoving it down with a force compared with which all the battering-rams that you ever read of in ancient histories would be child's toys.

But lo and behold! when the lava stream got within a few inches of the wall it stopped, and began to rear itself upright and build itself into a wall beside the wall.

It rose and rose, till I believe in one place it overtopped the wall and began to curl over in a crest.

All expected that it would fall over into the town at last: but no, there it stopped, and cooled, and hardened, and left the town unhurt.

All the inhabitants said, of course, that St.
Agatha had done it: but learned men found out that, as usual Madam How had done it, by making it do itself.