ssed along very
pleasantly; and when, at last, they had got them nearly arranged, Rollo
went to the window to throw out some old stones that he concluded not to
keep any longer, when he exclaimed aloud,

"O, Lucy, Lucy, come here quick."

Lucy ran. Rollo pointed out to the western horizon, and said, "See
there!"

There was a broad band of bright golden sky all along the western
horizon--clear and beautiful, and extending each way as far as they
could see. The dark clouds overhead reached down to the edge of this
clear sky, where they hung in a fringe of gold, and the dazzling rays of
the sun were just peeping under it. The rain had ceased.

Rollo and Lucy gazed at it a moment, and then ran down stairs as fast
as they could go, calling out,

"It is clearing away! It is clearing away! Father, it is clearing away.
We can go and see the freshet."

CLEARING UP.

They went out upon the steps to look at the sky. A few drops of rain
were still falling, but the clouds appeared to be breaking in several
places, and the tract of golden sky in the west was rising and
extending. The air was calm, and the golden rays of the sun shone upon
the fields and trees, and upon the glittering drops that hung from the
leaves and branches. Rollo and Lucy both said it was beautiful.

They went in and urged their father to go with them down to the brook to
see the freshet, but he said they must wait till after tea. "It is too
wet to go now," said he.

"But, father," said Rollo, "I do not think it will be any better after
tea. The ground cannot dry in half an hour."

"No," said his father; "but the water will run off of the paths a great
deal, so that we can get along much better."

"Well, but then it will run off from the brook a great deal too, and the
freshet will not be so high."

"It is a little different with the brook," his father replied, "for that
is very long, and the water comes a great way, from among the hills.
Now, while we are taking tea, the water will be running into the brook
back among the hills, faster than it will run away here, so that it will
grow higher and higher for some hours."

Rollo had no more to say, but he was impatient to go. He and Lucy went
out and stood on the steps again. The clouds were breaking up and flying
away in all directions, and large patches of clear blue sky appeared
everywhere, giving promise of a beautiful evening.

"Hark!" said Rollo; "what is that?"

Lucy listened. It was