two,
three, or four feet higher than that. I wish to be prepared for the
worst, and to save what property we can, with our wives and children, in
case the house should be flooded."

The captain desired all the party to return with him, and then announced
his apprehensions to the ladies. "We will breakfast first, and then
pack up the most valuable portion of our property, so that we may decamp
if necessary," he said, calmly. His spirit inspired the rest: even Mrs
Berrington, who for a wonder had got up, ate some breakfast. The boys
set to with a will.

"You know we may have some work to do, and it's wise to take in plenty
of provender beforehand. We don't know when we may have time to eat
again," observed Harry, cracking his third egg.

His brothers and cousins followed his example, in spite of the roaring
sound which continued outside.

Biddy and Betty were busy packing up the cooking utensils, while the
ladies were employed in filling their trunks with their clothes and the
most valuable articles they possessed. Poor Mrs Berrington's state can
better be imagined than described. Her sister's time was much taken up
in endeavouring to calm her alarm. The captain again went out. The
river, as he feared would be the case, had greatly increased. Still, it
might possibly not rise higher than it had done before. He stuck
several poles in the ground to mark its progress. The first, then the
second and the third, were reached with unexpected rapidity. Already
the water was rushing over the opposite bank where the ground was
lowest, sweeping everything before it. There was a danger that the
scrub being carried away might form a dam lower down, and, if so, create
much greater damage than if the river continued open to its mouth.

"I wish the drays would come," the captain said to his brother. "We
must get our wives and girls as soon as possible to the top of the
ridge. I thank heaven this did not occur at night, or we might have
been washed out of our beds."

Still Mr Berrington could not believe that the water would come up
higher.

"Look there!" said the captain, pointing to the southward among the
trees; "it is flooding the whole scrub. In a short time this place will
be surrounded."

As he spoke, two or three kangaroos and several wallabies were seen in
the distance making their escape into the open.

"These fellows know there is danger, or they would not be going at that
rate," observed the captai