been
expected. We had been saved from utter destruction by the fact that
only a moderate-sized clearing had been made in the virgin forest, whose
mighty trunks had formed a natural fence round our house, and checked
the rush of the flood, which, instead of reaching us in an overwhelming
wave, had been broken up, and its force destroyed before it could reach
us.

Even the open fences about the garden had escaped, the water having
played freely in and out; and though Hannibal's hut had been lifted up
and floated right away, the fence-top was now appearing above the water,
and seemed to be quite unharmed.

The water sank so fast now that my father shouted to Morgan to let Sarah
stay where she was till there was solid earth for her to descend to, and
consequently he came down to see what he could do to help. That
amounted to nothing, for until the water had passed away nothing could
be done, save splash here and there, looking at the fruit-trees
bestrewed with moss and muddy reeds and grass, while Morgan uttered
groan after groan, as he at last saw the bushes and the tops of his
vegetables appear covered with slime.

"The place is ruined, sir," he groaned. "Whatever is to be done? Go
back to the old country?"

"Get to work as soon as the place is dry," replied my father. "A few
showers of rain after the sun has dried and cracked the mud will soon
wash your garden clean."

Morgan shook his head. "And I don't know what my poor wife will say to
her kitchen."

"Ah, now you are touching upon the more serious part, my man," said my
father. "Come, Morgan, you and I have got the better of worse troubles
than this, so set to work, and by some means contrive to get fires going
in each of the rooms."

"With wet wood," said Morgan, grumpily.

"Why, it's only wet outside," I cried. "Here, Pomp, try and find the
little chopper. Know where it is?"

"Ise know where chopper, but de hut all gone away."

The wood-shed was standing though, and before very long, with Hannibal's
help, a good basketful of dry wood was cut; and after a long struggle
and several dryings in the hot sun, the tinder and matches acted, and
big fires were blazing in the house, whose floors were now only covered
with mud.

Already the thatch and shingle roof had ceased to drip, and was rapidly
drying, while by midday Sarah was busy at work with brush and pail
cleansing the floors, and keeping the two blacks and myself busy
bringing things out to