While the distant scene was all bright and lovely in the sunrise, these
nearer objects, thickly strewn in the muddy waters, were ugly and
dismal; and Oliver saw that it did him and his sister no good to watch
them. He started, and said they must not be idle any longer.

Just then Ailwin called from the stairs,--

"I say, Oliver, the cow is alive. I heard her low, I'm certain."

"I am afraid it was only George," said Mildred. "He was lowing like the
cow, a minute ago."

"That might be because he heard the real cow," cried Oliver, with new
hope. "I had rather save the cow than anything. I will see if I cannot
get into one of the upper rooms that looks towards the yard. We might
have a bridge-rope from more windows than one. Where is Roger? What is
he fit for? Is he awake?"

"Awake! Yes, indeed," whispered Ailwin, coming close up to the
children. "There is more mischief about that boy than you think for.
He is now on the stairs, with more mice, and rats, and spiders, and
creeping things about him than I ever saw before in all my days. We are
like to be devoured as we stand on our feet; to say nothing of what is
to become of us if we lie down."

Mildred looked at her brother in great terror.

"We must get rid of them, if they really do us hurt," said Oliver,
decidedly, though with an anxious look. "We must drown them, if they
are mischievous. We can do that, you know--at least with the larger
things. They cannot get away from us."

"Drown away!" said Ailwin, mysteriously. "Drown away! The more you
drown the more will come up. Why, did you never hear of the plagues of
Egypt?"

"Yes, to be sure. What then?"

"I take this to be a plague of Egypt that that boy has brought upon us.
It is his doing; and you will see that, if you will just look down from
where I stand, and watch him making friends with them all."

Mildred's eyes were on her brother's face as he stood where Ailwin
desired him, watching Roger. After looking very thoughtful for some
moments, he turned and exclaimed,--

"There is not one word of sense in it all, Mildred. There is a
wonderful number of live things there, to be sure; and here, too, all
over the roof--if you look. But Roger is not making friends with them.
He is teasing them--hurting all he can get hold of. I think the
creatures have come up here because the water has driven them out of
their holes; and that there would have been quite as many if Roger had
been dro