njuring trick, up to this very
moment!"

The poor dizzy child felt a strong arm passed round her waist, and found
herself carried near a fire in a room. She faltered out, "Ailwin, get
something for Oliver to eat. He will be here presently."

"That I will: and for you first. You shall both have a drop of my
cherry-brandy too."

Mildred said she had rather have a draught of milk; but Ailwin said
there was no milk. She had not been able to reach the cow, to milk her.
What had poor little George done, then?--He had had some that had been
left from the morning. Ailwin added that she was very sorry,--she could
not tell how she came to be so forgetful; but she had never thought of
not being able to milk the cow in the afternoon, and had drunk up all
that George left of the milk; her regular dinner having been drowned in
the kitchen. Neither had she remembered to bring anything eatable
up-stairs with her when the flood drove her from the lower rooms. The
flower and grain were now all under water. The vegetables were, no
doubt, swimming about in the cellar; and the meat would have been where
the flour was, at this moment, if Roger, who said he had no mind to be
starved, had not somehow fished up a joint of mutton. This was now
stewing over the fire; but it was little likely to be good; for besides
there being no vegetables, the salt was all melted, and the water was
none of the best. Indeed, the water was so bad that it could not be
drunk alone: and again good Ailwin pressed a drop of her cherry-brandy.
Mildred, however, preferred a cup of the broth, which, poor as it was,
was all the better for the loaf--the only loaf of bread--being boiled in
it.

Just when Mildred thought she could stand at the window, and watch for
Oliver, Oliver came in at the window. He was not too tired to have his
wits about him, as Ailwin said;--wits, she added, that were worth more
than hers. He had brought over some dry wood with him,--as much as the
basket would hold; thinking that the peat-stack was probably all afloat,
and the wood-heap wetted through. All were pleased at the prospect of
keeping up a fire during this strange night. All agreed that the
bridge-rope must be left as it was, while the flood lasted. There were
wild animals and birds enough on the Red-hill to last for food for a
long while; and there alone could they get fuel.

"You can't catch game without my dog," cried Roger, surlily, to Ailwin;
"and my dog shan't