f every foot of plank
they could lay their hands on.

Ailwin and Mildred saw no more of either of the boys during the whole
morning. They might have looked out to discover what was doing, but
that neither of them liked the sight of the bare rafters overhead, or of
the watery precipice at their feet. So Ailwin went on making cakes of a
curious sort, as she said; cakes of meal, made up with milk and water,
without either yeast or salt. They would not be spoiled by the water;
that was all that could be said for them. The water which was filtered
through gravel turned out quite good enough to be used in cooking, and
even for poor George to drink, so very thirsty as he was. While the
fowl simmered in the pot, and the cakes lay toasting on the hob, Ailwin
busied herself in making the beds, and then in rubbing, with her strong
arm, everything in the room, helping the floor, the walls, and the
furniture to dry from the wetting of yesterday. From the smell, she
said, she should have thought that everything in the house was growing
mouldy before her face. They were all aware that the bad smell which
they had observed yesterday, was growing worse every hour. Roger had
been much struck with it the moment he entered the window.

When the boys at length appeared, to say how hungry they were, they
burst in more like two schoolfellows who have been trying a new game,
than little lads on whom others were depending for subsistence in the
midst of a heavy calamity. They had made a raft--a real stout, broad
raft, which would be of more use to them (now the currents were
slackening) than anything they had attempted yet. Oliver told that
among the many things which the current brought from poor neighbour
Gool's, was a lot of harness from his stables. Roger had seen at once
what strong fastenings this harness would make for their raft. They had
then crossed to their own stable, and found their own suit of harness
hanging safe against the wall which remained. They had tied their
planks to three stout beams, which they had pulled out from the ruined
part of their house wall. It had been pretty hard work; but the raft
was secure, and well fastened, moreover, to a door-post, with a long
line; so that they might row about without having always to be looking
that they were not carried abroad into the carr. Oliver really thought
it was almost as good as having a boat. Roger protested that it was
better, because it would hold more go