led with glass, not parchment. A rustic porch, covered with
twining plants, conceals the door, and a general air of tidiness marks
all the surroundings. Need we say more to convince the intelligent
reader that this is the hut of old Liz? It occupies the spot where it
was deposited by the flood, the family having been allowed to remain
there.

Under the genius of Herr Winklemann and Michel Rollin the old hut has
displayed some characteristics of the cactus in sending forth offshoots
from its own body. An offshoot in the rear is the kitchen; another on
the right is a mansion, as large nearly as the parent, in which
Winklemann has placed his mother, to the great relief of Daddy, who
never forgot, and with difficulty forgave, the old woman's kicking
habits when their legs reposed together on the table. It must be added,
however, that the old people live on good terms, and that Mrs
Winklemann frequently visits Daddy, and smokes with him. The offshoot
on the left, built by Michel, is a stable, and an excrescence beyond is
a cow-house. There, are fowls in front of the hut, and flour, sugar,
pork, and tea within, so it may be concluded that the families are now
in comfort.

When the improvements just mentioned were completed, Michel Rollin,
unable to settle down, had arranged with Peegwish and Wildcat to go off
on a fishing expedition.

Before starting he entered the hut, and said to Winklemann, who was
filling his "moder's" pipe for her--

"You vill be here ven I come back? You vill not leave the ol' peepil?"

"No; I vill stope till you retoorns. Be sure I vill take care of zee
old vons. But dere is not much fear of anodor flood joost now."

"What says he, Liz?" asked old Daddy, with a hand to his ear. "Speak
oot."

"Oh, he's jist haverin' aboot the flood. He says there's nae fear o'
anither flood, an' I think he's aboot right."

"I'm no sae sure o' _that_," returned Daddy, whose memory for the past
was much stronger than for current events. "It's been said, on the best
authority, that there was a seemilar flood i' the year seeventeen hunner
an' seeventy-sax, anither in seeventeen ninety, an' anither in aughteen
hunner an' nine."

"Hoots! haud yer gab. What div _ye_ ken aboot floods?"

Daddy, hearing nothing, and believing from the pleasant expression of
Liz's countenance that she appreciated his remarks, nodded to Mrs
Winklemann cheerily, and smiled.

"Ha!" laughed her son; "you is von stranch bein