two minutes."

"Pe quick, then," said Macdonald, looking inwards while he lowered his
violin, to which he was passionately attached, into the canoe, "you hef
not much time to waste, Martha, for it wass time we will pe goin'."

In a few minutes Angus Macdonald's house was abandoned to its fate, and
himself and sister, with a couple of domestics, were added to the number
of refugees who crowded to the abode of hospitable Sam Ravenshaw.

"Hef you forgotten the cawtie?" asked Angus of his sister, while
assisting her to land on the steps from which Miss Trim had taken her
dive.

"No, Angus, I've got it in my basket, but I fear the poor old hen has
been lost. It's all over the house I sought for it before comin' away,
but--"

A triumphant cackle from the cupboard overhead interrupted Miss Martha.

"Ha! ha!" shouted Mr Ravenshaw; "thats where the sound came from this
morning! And I do believe it must have been that brute which caused
Miss Trim to fall into the water."

With a twinkle in his eye, the old gentleman related the incident of the
morning, while Angus, with a grim expression, kept his eye on Beauty,
who gazed inquiringly out at the half-open door of her retreat.

"It iss a pad craitur you've peen--fery pad--ever since I got you, but
it iss no more mischief you will pe dooin' after this--whatever."

Angus seized the unfortunate hen by the neck as he spoke, and flung it
along the passage, where it fell into the water, and went cackling and
choking through the doorway.

Beauty's powers were varied as well as surprising. Although thus, for
the first time in her life, compelled to take to the water, she swam as
well as any duck, and went straight off as if by instinct, to the
forsaken house. From the window of the lumber-room Angus saw her reach
it, scramble, somehow, on to its roof, and there utter a crow of
defiance that would have done credit to her defunct husband. There was
one other object besides his own house and surroundings which Angus saw
from that window. It was the smoking-box on the willow-clad knoll,
which formed a separate island in the flood. The sight stirred up
unpleasant recollections. He turned from the window, and gave his
attention to the substantial breakfast to which his host invited him.

The greater part of that day was spent in rearranging the habitable
parts of Willow Creek, and placing the more delicate valuables further
out of danger. At night candles were lighted, fre