g about
him, or all the chests in the Levels. Never mind now, dear. You wont
scream again without occasion, I know. What made you do so? You can't
think what a shriek it was. It went through my head."

"Part of the wall fell; and the whole of it shakes so, I am sure it will
all be down presently. I wish we were at home. But what shall we ever
do about Roger? He will kill you, if you go near him: and he can't stay
there."

"Leave Roger to me," said Oliver, feeling secretly some of his sister's
fear of the consequences of what had just passed. He stepped on the
wall, and was convinced that it was shaking,--almost rocking. He
declared that it was quite unsafe, and that he must look to the
remaining walls before they slept another night in the building.
Mildred must get upon the raft immediately. What was that heap of blue
cloth?

Mildred explained, and the cloth was declared too valuable to be left
behind. Two pairs of hands availed to pull up the end which stuck under
water, and then the children found themselves in possession of a whole
piece of home-spun.

"May we use it? We did not make it, or buy it," said Mildred.

"I thought of that too," replied her brother. "We will see about that.
It is our business to save it, at any rate; so help me with it. How
heavy it is with the water!"

They pulled a dozen apples, and rowed away home with their prize.

Ailwin said, as she met them on the stairs, that she was glad enough to
see them home again; and more especially without Roger.

"Roger must be fetched, however," said Oliver, "and the sooner the
better."

"Oh not yet!" pleaded Mildred. "He is so angry!"

"That is the very thing," said Oliver. "I want to show him that I
tripped him over, not in anger, but because I could not help it. He
will never believe but that it was malice, from beginning to end, if I
do not go for him directly."

"But he will thrash you. You know he can. He is ever so much stronger
than you; and he is in such a passion, I do not know what he may not
do."

"What can I do?" said Oliver. "I can't leave him there, standing
dripping wet, with the cow and the pony."

"Would it be of any use if I were to go with you, and say it was all my
fault?" asked Mildred, trembling.

"No, no; you must not go."

"I would go, if there was no water between, and if Mildred would take
care of the baby," said Ailwin.

"Oh do,--do go! You are so strong!" said both the children.

"W