Hayward, when the whole party,
pressing hard, once more closed it, though the blast which came in sent
several of the articles of furniture rattling down.

"How, in the name of wonder, did you get in?" exclaimed Reggy, when he
found Paul and Harry inside.

He could scarcely believe it when they told him how they had managed to
find an entrance. The door being secured, they hastened back to the
sitting-room. It was no easy matter to carry on a conversation amid the
wild uproar, though the captain, accustomed to storms at sea, made
himself heard. He could not tell how much of the roof had gone, for,
even through a small aperture the rain made its way in torrents. He was
thankful that any part remained which could afford them shelter. Paul
could give no account of how it fared with Sandy and the men at the
stock-yard. Mr Hayward volunteered to go back and ascertain, but the
captain would not allow this. "You ran risk enough in coming, and I am
thankful that you have escaped," he said.

Nothing more could now be done until daylight, as the whole house was in
darkness, for as soon as the lamp was lighted in any part, except in the
sitting-room, it was blown out again by the wind which made its way
through the roof. The captain did not express his fears to the rest of
the party, with the exception of Mr Hayward and Paul, but his chief
anxiety was about the river. On listening at the side of the house
nearest to it, they could hear the water rushing along its hitherto dry
bed, evidently at headlong speed. Mr Hayward, ever ready to assist,
offered to go out and ascertain how high it had risen.

"We may remain here in safety at present, I trust," said Captain
Berrington: "it is still a dozen feet below us, probably more, and
unless it should rise much higher, we should only unnecessarily expose
the ladies to this tremendous rain and the fearful danger of falling
branches were we to quit the house. We must, however, keep a watch upon
it and escape in time."

Several terrific blasts came, which threatened to blow down the house,
or tear off the whole roof. The wind, after the last, began to lull,
and the rain ceased. The house, with the exception of the sitting-room,
was in such a condition that the family were compelled to remain in that
apartment. The night wore slowly away, and every one was thankful when
daylight at last returned. Sad indeed was the havoc which had been
committed by the tempest; but the cap