e of hills at some
miles distance; and when you are older, you will understand how
it is that rivers that rise among hills or mountains are apt to
overflow when there is much rain. It happened one day, when all
the family, except the children, had gone out on a visit, that it
rained from morning till night, and when night came it still
rained heavily. In the morning, when nurse went to dress the
children, she told them to look out of the window. Their surprise
was great to see the little stream, that they were used to step
across, changed into a wide, rapid, foaming river. It made such a
sound that they could hear it quite plain in their bed-room. It
no longer looked clear and blue, but was thick, muddy, and of the
color of red clay. They did not like to see it so; and what was
worse it still rained, and the water rose more and more. The
plank across it had been carried away in the night by the water,
and had gone swimming down the stream. Before they had done
breakfast, they heard that the wooden bridge was broken down; and
now, when they looked out, they saw that the water had spread
half over the meadow on the opposite side. The trees were
standing in it, and looked as if they grew in a lake. The cows
were all collected on a high bank, among some trees, and were
lowing and appearing quite angry and offended at this strange
conduct in the river. The sheep had gone as far as they could out
to the very hedge, to keep on dry ground. The ponies had found a
high part of the field, that had water all round it, so that it
looked like a green island, and were feeding quite contentedly.
Now and then they looked up, and shook their manes, as much as to
say, "You can't get at us. It's of no use to want a ride."

At last it stopped raining, and the children were well wrapped
up, and put on good thick shoes, and went out to look at all this
nearer. On their way they met the gardener running down to try to
save his stack of pea-sticks; but he was too late, it was already
swimming away; all his fine stack, that he had piled up ready
for spring; and he had had so many more important things to take
care of that he had not had time to remove it sooner.

Many things now came floating down on the water. Young trees,
branches, parts of railings and fences, broken bridges and
planks, all went hurrying along, and the water foamed, and
roared, and surged, and looked quite fearful.

While they all stood looking on, the gardener still lam