ly toward the house.
The garden was covered deeply, and where I had been accustomed to look
at the pleasant sand-walks, and the young fruit-trees, all was now
water, out of which rose the tops of trees here and there.

The thatched roof of the blacks' hut was just visible as a grey point
seen amongst the tree-tops, and all at once I saw it rise up high out of
the water and then settle down again and float slowly away.

At that moment my father uttered a low sigh, and then there was another
loud dull roar, and a great wave came rolling out of the edge of the
forest, swelling onward, the tops of the trees bending towards us as it
came on and on slowly, but with a force that bore all before it, and I
felt my father's hand clasp mine in his.

"Quick!" he whispered; "climb out, and get on the ridge of the roof."

"Are you coming too, father?" I said.

"Out, quick!" he answered, but before I was clear of the window, he had
hold of me and half drew me back, holding to me tightly, and not without
need, for there was a dull thud, the house quivered from the tremendous
blow, and I felt the water leap over me, deluging me from head to foot,
and making me gasp for breath as I struggled to get back.

"Quiet!" said my father, sternly, and I remained still, expecting to
feel the house swept away, to go floating like the roof of the hut,
right away.

But it stood firm, the wave gliding off, but leaving the water now
rippling up between the boards, telling that the lower floor was filled,
and the flood rising through the ceiling.

An anxious ten minutes ensued, during which wave after wave came rolling
out of the forest, each to deliver a heavy blow at our house, making the
roof crack, but never yield, and with the last came so great an influx
of water that our position rapidly began to grow untenable.

My father made no effort to induce me to climb up after the first wave
struck us, till the water had risen well up into the loft, when he said
quietly--

"Up with you, Morgan, on to the ridge."

"Begging your pardon, sir, I--"

"Silence, sir! Out and up with you, and be ready to take your wife's
hands."

It was the officer spoke then, and Morgan crept out through the rough
dormer window, and directly after shouted briefly--

"Ready."

"Now, Sarah, my good woman, be brave and firm; creep out here," said my
father. "Don't think about the water, and grasp your husband's hands at
once."

I heard Sarah give a deep sigh