ider, he perceived that the bridge-rope remained, stretched as
tight as ever. The chamber window, and indeed all that wall of the
house, looked firm and safe; and such roof as was left was over that
part. This was natural enough, as the violence of the flood was much
greater on the opposite side of the house than on the garden side. The
staircase was safe. It was laid open to view very curiously; but it
stood upright and steady: and, at length, to Roger's great relief,
Mildred appeared upon it. She merely ran up to fetch something from the
roof; but her step, her run and jump, was, to Roger's mind, different
from what it would have been if she had been in great affliction or
fear. In his pleasure at this, he snatched his cap from his head, and
waved it: but the little girl was very busy, and she did not see him.
It was odd, Roger said to himself, that the Linacres were always now
thinking of everything but him, when formerly they could never watch him
enough.

After a while he descended the bank, to fill his boiler with water. It
was necessary to do this for some time before drinking, in order that
the mud might settle. Even after standing for several hours, the day
before, the water was far from clear; and it was very far from sweet.
This was nothing new to Roger, however, who had been accustomed to drink
water like this as often as he had been settled in the carr, though he
had occasionally been allowed to mix with it some gin from his uncle's
bottle. He was thirsty enough this morning to drink almost anything;
but he did think the water in the boiler looked particularly muddy and
disagreeable. Spy seemed as thirsty as himself, and as little disposed
to drink of the stream as it ran below. He pranced about the boiler, as
if watching for an opportunity to wet his tongue, if his master should
turn his back for a minute.

The opportunity soon came; for Roger saw the bridge-basket put out of
the window by Ailwin; after which, Oliver got into it. Ailwin handed
him something, as he pulled away for the Red-hill. With a skip and a
jump Roger ran to the beach to await him.

"Pull away! That's right! Glad to see you!" exclaimed Roger. "Halloo,
Spy! Down, sir! Pleased to see you, Oliver."

Oliver was glad to hear these words. He did not know but that he might
have been met by abuse and violence, for having carried home the basket.

"Would you like some milk?" asked Oliver, as he came near.

"Ay, that I s