-more and more
rapidly--through the water which seethed about the bows. The men were
trotting, running. Presently it was darker still: the bent heads were
raised, and it appeared that the boats were brought to, under the wide
branches of two oaks which overhung the water. The woods were reached
already.

"Shelter for the ladies, sir," said the panting boatmen, touching their
hats, and then taking them off to wipe their brows. Mr Grey looked
doubtful, stood up to survey, and then asked if there was no farm, no
sort of house anywhere near. None nearer than you village where the
spire was, and that was very little nearer than Deerbrook itself. The
ladies who were disposed to say anything, observed that they were very
well as they were: the tree kept off a great deal of the hail, and the
wind was not felt quite so much as on the open river. Should they sit
still, or step on shore? Sit still, by all means. Packed closely as
they were, they would be warmer and drier than standing on shore; and
they were now ready to start homewards as soon as the storm should
abate. It did not appear that there was any abatement of the storm in
five minutes, nor in a quarter of an hour. The young people looked up
at the elder ones, as if asking what to expect. Several of the party
happened to be glancing in the same direction with the boatmen, when
they saw a shaft of lightning strike perpendicularly from the upper
range of cloud upon the village spire, and light it up.

"Lord bless us!" exclaimed Mr Grey, as the spire sent its smoke up like
a little volcano.

Fanny burst out a-crying, but was called a silly child, and desired not
to make a noise. Everyone was silent enough now; most hiding their
faces, that they might not see what happened next. Half way between the
river and the smoking church, in the farther part of the opposite
meadow, was a fine spreading oak, under which, as might just be seen, a
flock of sheep were huddled together for shelter. Another fiery dart
shot down from the dark canopy, upon the crown of this oak. The tree
quivered and fell asunder, its fragments lying in a circle. There was a
rush forth of such of the sheep as escaped, and a rattle of thunder
which would have overpowered any ordinary voices, but in the midst of
which a scream was heard from the first boat. It was a singular thing
that, in talking over this storm in after-days at home, no lady would
own this scream.

"I'm thinking, sir,"