f horror.

The half-breed in the bow ceased paddling, and looked back in alarm.

"Git on, you brute!" shouted Winklemann, at the same time exerting his
great strength as though he meant to urge the light craft out of the
water into the air.

A few minutes more and they swept round into the space where the hut had
once stood. There was nothing left but the bit of rope that had been
made fast to the ring-bolt. Poor Winklemann let his paddle drop and
sank almost double with his face in his hands.

"Mine moder," was all he could say, as he groaned heavily. In a few
seconds he recovered with a start and bade the man in the bow paddle for
his life.

Winklemann, of course, knew that the house must have floated downwards
with the current, if it had not been utterly overwhelmed. He directed
his search accordingly, but the breadth of land now covered by the flood
caused the currents to vary in an uncertain manner, as every ridge, or
knoll, or hollow in the plains modified them. Still, there could be
only one general direction. After a few minutes of anxious reflection
the bereaved man resolved to keep by the main current of the river. He
was unfortunate in this, for the hut, in commencing its adventurous
career, had gone off in the direction of the plains. All day he and his
companion paddled about in search of the lost family, but in vain. At
night they were forced to return to the parsonage for a little food and
rest, so as to fit them for a renewal of the search on the following
morning.

At the mission station they found Mr Cockran, with his wife and forty
of his people, established on the stage. Early in the day the water had
burst into the parsonage, and soon stood a foot deep on the floor, so
that the pastor deemed it high time to forsake it and take to the last
refuge. It was a crowded stage, and great was the anxiety of many of
the mothers upon it lest their little ones should be thrust over the
edge into the water. No such anxiety troubled the little ones
themselves. With that freedom from care which is their high privilege,
they even gambolled on the brink of destruction.

Next day was the Sabbath. To go to church was impossible. There were
three and a half feet of water in that building. The day was fine,
however, and sunny. The pastor, therefore, had service on the stage,
and being an earnest, intelligent man, he made good use of the floods
and the peculiarity of their circumstances to illust