the dark as it was
floating away. Then I got my leaping-pole and run her under the window,
and made my missus give me a pillow to stop the leak 'fore I could bale
her out. Then Jacob come, and we got the missus down and poled her
along here, but was nearly swept by."

"You're a good fellow, Hickathrift," cried the squire. "Wife, get out
some hollands; we're perished. Have a glass, my man; and then we must
go in the punt to Grimsey and get the Tallingtons out. We're all right
here, but Grimsey Farm will soon be flooded to the bed-room windows.
Light a lanthorn, some one, and put in a spare candle. You'll go with
me, Hickathrift?"

"Ay, squire, to the end of the world, if thou bids me; but I tell ye--"

He stopped short.

"Well, what, man? Here, drink!"

"Efter yow, squire," said the big fellow sturdily. "I tell ye that no
mortal man, nor no two men, couldn't take that punt across to Grimsey in
the dark to-night. We should be swept no one knows wheer, and do no
good to them as wants the help."

"But we can't leave them to drown, man!" cried the squire.

"No; we can't do that, and we wean't," cried Hickathrift. "They'll get
right on the roof if the bed-rooms gets full; and while we're waiting
for day we'll have the punt hauled up. Jacob'll howd the light, and
I'll see if I can't mend the hole. You've got a hammer and some nails
in the big barn?"

"Yes," said the squire; "yes, you are right, my man--you are right.
Come, Dick: dry clothes."

There was nothing else to be done; and as the bonfire was kept blazing
the punt was hauled up, and in the midst of the howling wind and the
rush of the water Dick stood looking on, his heart full as he thought of
Tom Tallington asking his help away there in the darkness; while tap,
tap, tap went the wheelwright's hammer, after his saw had rasped off a
thin piece of board.

"That'll do it," he cried at last; and the punt was placed ready for
launching when the day showed.

Meanwhile the squire gave orders for the fire to be kept well alight;
and fagots of wood and straw trusses were piled on, with the odds and
ends of broken farming implements and worn-out wooden shedding that had
been the accumulation of years.

The result was that the flames rose high over the wild weird scene,
gilding the wind-tossed pines and staining the flood for far, while
there was so much excitement in thus sitting up and keeping the fire
blazing that it would have been real enjoyment