o have slackened as soon as he was out of doors. It was now
more like mist or a warm sleet, as if Crofield were drifting through a
cloud.

"The Washington House needs all the rain it can get," said Jack, as he
went along; "but half the roof is caved in. I'm glad Livermore's
insured."

When Jack reached the creek he felt his heart fairly jump with
excitement. The Cocahutchie was no longer a thin ribbon rippling along
in a wide stretch of sand and gravel. It was a turbid, swollen,
roaring flood, already filling all the space under its bridge; and the
clump of old trees was in the water instead of on dry land.

"Hurrah!" shouted Jack. "As high as that already, and the worst is to
come!"

He could not see the dam at first, but the gusts of wind were making
openings in the mist, and he soon caught glimpses of a great sheet of
foaming brown water.

"I'll go and take a look at the dam," he said; and he ran to the mill.

"It's just level with the dam," he said, after one swift glance. "I
never thought of that. I must go and tell old Hammond what's coming."

The miller's house was not far away, and he and his family were at
supper when there came a bang at the door. Then it opened and Mrs.
Hammond exclaimed:

"Why, John Ogden!"

"I'm out o' breath," said Jack excitedly. "You tell him that the
water's 'most up to the lower floor of the mill. If he's got anything
there that'd be hurt by getting wet--"

"Goodness, yes!" shouted the miller, getting up from the table, "enough
to ruin me. There are sacks of flour, meal, grain,--all sorts of
stuff. It must all go up to the second floor. I'll call all the
hands."

"But," said his wife, "it's Sunday!"

"Can't help it!" he exclaimed; "the Cocahutchie's coming right up into
the mill. Jack, tell every man you see that I want him!"

Off went Jack homeward, but he spoke to half a dozen men on the way.
He did not run, but he went quickly enough; and when he reached the
house there was something waiting for him.

It was a horse with a blanket strapped on instead of a saddle; and by
it stood his father, and near him stood his mother and Aunt Melinda and
Mary, bareheaded, for it was not raining, now.

"Mount, Jack," said the blacksmith quietly. "I've seen the creek.
It's only four and a half miles to the Four Corners. Ride fast. See
how that dam looks and come back and tell me. Mr. Murdoch will have
his buggy ready to start when you get back. See how many lo