ng light was soon flashed back by the girls, so they knew
that their own had been seen.

"Now we will take some of this tongue," said Mansy, producing the tin
in which it was preserved, "Lucky I got the young man in the shop to
open it. But what about a knife to cut it?"

"Won't this do?" asked Alfy, producing his pocket-knife. "At all
events, it is better than nothing."

"Why, bless the boy! so it is; but I am afraid it won't do very well.
Howsomdever, we'll make the best of it!"

"Perhaps I can manage it better than you, Mansy," suggested Alfy. "I
am more used to it, you know; and really it is a splendid knife when
you know how to use it."

"Yes, I should think so, _when_ you know how to use it, my dear, but I
cannot do very much with it in cutting nice slices!"

"Oh, never mind the nice slices, if we can get some nice mouthfuls,"
laughed the boy. And he proceeded to cut some small slips off the top
of the tongue with great facility, considering the unsuitability of the
small pocket-knife for the purpose.

"Capital!" cried his nurse, as Alfy handed her a few of the small
slices, and then she produced some biscuits, and Alfy and Mansy made
quite an enjoyable meal.

[Illustration: "ALFY AND MANSY MADE QUITE AN ENJOYABLE MEAL."]

"I wish this water was fit to drink," she said, "for I feel thirsty.
Now tell me where it comes from, if you can, and how the flood
happened?"

"It was yesterday afternoon," replied Alfy. "About three o'clock we
suddenly heard a loud noise, and then the water came rushing all round
the house and into the lower rooms too! We were frightened and
surprised at first, I can tell you!"

"I expect you were," replied Mansy sympathetically. "And all in the
lower rooms. Oh, mercy on us, what a to-do! Is the mill-dam broke, do
you think?"

"I don't know, Mansy. I'm not sure if it came that way. Have some
more tongue, Mansy dear? It's jolly!"

"Thank you," exclaimed Mansy; "I don't mind if I do, Master Alfy.
Well," she continued, as she took out some more biscuits, "if anybody'd
told me this morning that I should have had my supper to-night in a
washin' tub on the water I'd 'a said they was cracked!"

"And so should I," said Alfy. "Still, here we are, Mansy; and the next
question is how long shall we be obliged to stay?"

"Yes, indeed," she sighed; "that is the question, and one we can't
answer!"

"We must make the best of it," he said bravely. "I think I could swim
to th