eep the door fastened while
he lifted and tied up the latch. The door shook more and more; so,
having set the window wide open, he made haste to scramble up to where
Mildred was, wound the cord which was about George's waist round his own
arm, bade Mildred hold the child fast, and gave notice that he was going
to open the door. It was a strange party, as the boy could not help
noting at the moment,--the maid standing on the bed, hugging the
bed-post, and staring with frightened eyes; Roger snoring on the table,
just under the sleeping hen on the beam; and the three children perched
on the top of a high chest of drawers. George took it all for play,--
the new sash he had on and the bolting the door, and the climbing and
scrambling. He laughed and kicked, so that his sister could scarcely
hold him. "Now for it!" cried Oliver.

"Oh, Oliver, stop a minute!" cried Ailwin. "Don't be in such a hurry to
drown us all, Oliver. Stop a moment, Oliver."

Oliver knew, however, that the way to drown them all was to stop. At
the first pull the bolt gave way, the door burst open, as if it would
break from its hinges, and a great body of water dashed in. The first
thing the wave did was to wash Roger off the table; the next, to put out
the fire with a fizz,--so that there was no other light but the dawn,
now advancing. The waters next dashed up against the wall opposite the
door; and then by the rebound, with less force, against the drawers on
which the children sat. It then leaped out of the window, leaving a
troubled surface at about half the height of the room. Above the noise,
Ailwin was heard lamenting, the chicks cluttering, the hen fluttering,
and George laughing and clapping his hands.

"You have George safe?" said Oliver. "Very well! I believe we can all
get out. There is Roger's head above water; and I don't think it is
more than up to my neck; though everybody laughs at me for being a short
boy."

He stepped down upon a chair, and then cautiously into the water. It
was very nearly up to his chin.

"That will do," said he, cheerfully. "Now, Ailwin, you are the
tallest;--please carry George out on the roof of the house, and stay
there with him till I come."

Ailwin made many lamentations at having to step down into the water; but
she took good care of the child, carrying him quite high and dry.
Oliver followed, to see that he was tied securely to the balustrade on
the roof. While he was doing this, Ailwi