an back for it, and attempted to throw it across, but
the channel was too wide, and it was almost torn from their grasp. It
would have been lost had not Harry fastened a rope to the lower round,
by which it was hauled in.

"The ladder may be useful for another purpose," observed Harry.

They lifted it up and carried it back to the house. The water was by
this time rising even faster than before. The maize field, the yam and
potato-ground, the orchard and kitchen-garden, were all flooded.
Palings and hedges were everywhere giving way before the torrent. A
rise of another foot would bring it up to the walls of the house. The
floor was somewhat higher, so that it would not damage that much should
the flood cease to rise when it got thus far. But would it cease? was
the question. If it once began to beat against the walls of the house,
would they stand? Reggy proposed climbing up to the roof by means of
the ladder.

"That would be a place of very doubtful safety," said Harry.

They looked up the stream, now extending a quarter of a mile or more on
either side of its original bed. The whole country around them seemed
flooded, with the exception of the hill to which the drays had gone.

"I am afraid that it will reach the stock-yard," said Harry, "and it
must be close to it already; if so, the cattle will have a poor chance.
See, it has already carried away the hen-house, and there go the poor
hens, flying away towards the nearest branches they can reach.
Unfortunately, I cut the wings of a number only the other day because
they would stray, and now they will all be lost."

"Oh! what shall we do? What shall we do?" exclaimed Hector.

"We are not going to lose our lives if we can help it," said Harry, who
retained his presence of mind.

He was just then watching the piggeries. The torrent struck them,
carrying away the palings and letting the inmates loose.

"Foolish beasts!" exclaimed Harry, "instead of swimming towards the
shore they are going with their heads down the stream, taking it quite
coolly. They might have been on dry ground in five minutes if they had
gone in the right direction."

Notwithstanding Harry's warning, Hector insisted on getting upon the
roof.

"The water would surely not rise much above the floor, and as the house
had withstood the hurricane it would not be knocked down by the flood,"
he said.

Calling to Reggy to help him, he climbed up and took his seat on the
ridge.

"C