t was not raining but there was a peculiar gurgling sound of water.
Helen also heard it and sat up in bed.

"Do you hear that, Hester? What is it?"

"It is something outside, I'll see." As she spoke she had left her bed
and hurried to the window. Her exclamation brought Helen to her. There
was no need to ask for explanation. Beech Creek had backed in from a
mile beyond, and was lapping against the stone foundation. The water was
moving over the campus. Nowhere was it more than an inch deep; but on
each side lay the greater depths of the river and the creek.

"Let us get dressed at once!" cried Hester.

"Yes, let us go downstairs," replied Helen. She was not so excited as
Hester, yet she was more afraid. Hester knew the river and loved it. Now
her excitement did not spring from fear, but from a kind of enjoyment.

They slipped into their clothes and made themselves as presentable as
possible and hurried downstairs. At the front entrance was a group of
girls. Some were standing on the lower step, which was a single piece of
granite. The water was lapping but a few inches below. While they talked
and laughed, some hysterically, the water crept up and lapped upon the
lower step. The girls moved higher. Five steps led to the entrance,
which was on the level of the first floor. Then the breakfast bell
sounded and the girls reluctantly went into the dining-room.

While they were standing with their hands on the back of their
respective chairs, awaiting the signal from the principal, she addressed
them.

"Young ladies, you will be served with plain fare this morning. Perhaps,
you do not know that the butcher, the baker, the milkman, and butter-man
drive in each morning from Flemington. The road was flooded this morning
and they could not reach us. The supplies which the steward keeps on
hand, are in the basement, which was flooded last night. You may be
seated."

There was no complaint at the bit of bacon and stale bread with which
each plate had been served. There were excitement and hilarious
good-humor, as though the flood had come for their especial benefit to
give them an experience new and unusual. A bit of bacon and stale bread!
One could get along very well for a few hours on that. But it seemed
destined that the students were not to have even so little.

Marshall came in and hurried to Doctor Weldon. She appeared cool and
collected; but one could never tell from her manner whether she were
anxious or not. The