tween them so far as nearness went; but
the boys thought it would be wiser to make for the west shore. Carson
lay on that side, and then the ground as a whole lay somewhat higher,
so that once they landed they would be less liable to come across
impassable sloughs and lagoons formed by the back-water of the flooded
river.

Both rowers bent their backs, and the boat began to make progress.
They had not been laboring in this fashion three minutes when Bessie
gave utterance to a bubbling cry of anguish.

"Oh! see there what is happening to Uncle Asa's place!" she exclaimed.

The little lame girl set up a loud cry, and sobbed as though her heart
would break, because that farm-house had been her home all her life;
and it was now toppling over into the river.

They could see it moving, at first slowly, then with a sudden rush. It
careened far on one side, and then surged to the other dreadfully. Had
they still been clinging to the ridge the chances were that they would
have been thrown into the water; and besides, there was always great
danger that the house would fall to pieces before long.

"Well, we've got a whole lot to be thankful for, anyway!" Steve
presently remarked, as he patted Bessie's, hand with one of his, using
the oar with the other meanwhile.

"I should say we had!" declared Bandy-legs; "I'd rather be here in this
bully old boat ten times over, to squattin' up on that old roof,
seesawin' along every-which-way. Here, pull harder, Steve; you're
lettin' her yaw around terrible. We want to head for the shore and not
down-river way."

As the two rowers continued to work regularly they kept gradually
nearing the western shore of the flood. Of course this was far removed
from what the bank must be under ordinary conditions, in places as much
as a quarter of a mile further inland. The water was sweeping through
the lower branches of trees that all their lives had been far removed
from the influence of the river; and there would be many changes in the
aspect of things when the flood eventually subsided.

The girls sat there silent, and absorbed in watching the dizzy
evolutions of the drifting farmhouse that was rapidly passing away from
them down-stream. Of course it meant more to the lame child than any
one else, and Max could feel sorry for her. He had only to put himself
in her place, to realize the sadness that would be sure to overwhelm
him should he watch his loved home carried off, never to be