en. By much straining and lifting, the pianos were raised upon
these.

"That is all we can do," said the night-watchman. "We cannot possibly
take them to the second floor. They are three feet higher now. The water
can't possibly rise that much more."

Doctor Weldon had taken refuge on the steps for the hall was flooded.
The girls moved up to the second floor.

"Let us go to the Philo Hall on the third floor," cried Erma. "We can
see over town from there."

"I do not wish to see," said several.

"I do," said Hester and Helen together. The three made their way to the
hall whose windows opened to the north and east. The current from the
river was sweeping about the corner of the building with a tremendous
force. Logs and square timbers, uprooted trees and driftwood were being
borne down in great quantities.

On the side of the driveway, where the current was strongest, stood an
iron lamp-post deeply imbedded in a foundation of stone. It had been
placed there in the early history of the school, when electricity and
gas were unknown. It had never been removed for the trustees were
graduates of the school and refused to remove the landmarks of their
school-days. So there it stood above the muddy, dirty water.

The girls at the open window above could look down upon it.

"See that great timber coming!" cried Helen.

"It is right in the current and making straight for the building. If it
should strike the corner!"

The building was old and not able to stand the force of a heavy timber,
propelled by such a tremendous force. The girls at the window knew what
that meant. They held their breath. The timber rushed on, but it turned
broadside in the current and came up against the iron post. There it
remained as nicely as though weighed and measured and fixed in place.
Back of it came logs and drift which piled upon the timber and lamp-post
until a bulwark was formed which turned the current away from the corner
and the danger with it.

"It's luck. Did you ever see such luck?" cried Erma. "If that lamp-post
had not been there, the whole corner of the building would have been
broken in. It was luck--pure luck."

"It was Providence," said Helen simply. "I think it was meant that the
lamp-post should be just where it is."

There were few words said. The scene was so awful that the desire to
talk was taken away. From the parlors below, the excitement and laughter
died. A quiet fell over the building. There was nothing to