rst buffet of the hurricane
back against the pillar of the porch, where he clung.

"Oh! what is that?" screamed Lill, watching with Vinnie from the window.

[Illustration: THE TORNADO COMING.]

Some huge, unwieldy object had risen and rolled for an instant in the
dim air, over Peakslow's house, then disappeared as suddenly.

At the same time Jack and Link appeared, half running, half blown by the
tempest up the road. Vinnie watched them from the window, and saw the
enormous sloping pillar of dust and leaves, and torn boughs, whirling
above their heads, and overwhelming everything in its roaring cloud.

The last she remembered was Jack and Link darting by the corner of the
house, and Snowfoot tugging at his halter. Then a strange electric
thrill shot through her, the house shook with a great crash, and all was
dark.

CHAPTER XXXV.

PEAKSLOW IN A TIGHT PLACE.--CECIE.

The storm could not have been two minutes in passing. Then it suddenly
grew light, the tempest lulled, the heavens cleared, and in not more
than ten minutes the sunset sky was smiling again, a sea of tranquil
gold, over the western woods.

Fortunately, only the skirt of the storm had swept over Betterson's
house, doing no very serious damage.

When Vinnie looked again from the window, she saw Snowfoot, still tied
by the halter, standing with drooping head and tail, wet with rain.
Jack, hat in hand, his hair wildly tumbled, was already at the horse's
head, laughing excitedly, and looking back at Rufe and Link, who were
coming to his side. The buggy, he noticed, had been whirled half-way
round by the wind, so that the rear end was turned toward the porch.

Through it all, Lill had clung in terror to Vinnie, whose arms were
still about her. Cecie sat in her chair by the supper-table, white and
speechless from the electric shock which all had felt, and she more
sensibly than the rest. Caroline was in the next room with the child,
whose cries, for a while drowned in the terrible uproar, now broke
forth again, strenuous and shrill. Mr. Betterson, holding the frightened
Chokie, opened the door, and calmly asked the boys if they were hurt.

"We are all right, I guess," cried Rufe. "Wad put for the barn, to make
room for the horse and buggy, which I didn't have time to get there. I
don't know where Rad is."

Wad now appeared; and at the same time the cattle, started homeward by
the storm, came cantering down the woodland road, with the rattling