and always from different
sections. At one time he was on a ranch, another time in the gold
fields. He could not be contented long anywhere."

"Where is he now, Aunt Debby?"

"Dead, Hester. Dead long ago. At least we think so. For years, no
letters have come from him. When father died, we sent word everywhere,
but he never replied. We said then that he was dead."

"If he had lived, I'd have had an uncle. I should like an uncle. From
what I've read, they are very jolly."

"You can not always believe what you read," was the sententious
rejoinder.

The guests remained at Valehurst three days, during which time neither
Mrs. Vail nor Robert appeared, although the latter sent many messages to
the girls, through the medium of his cousin or the housekeeper.

Thursday morning, word came from Doctor Weldon that the students must
return to school and make ready their belongings to go home.
Commencement was not to be considered. The graduates would receive their
diplomas, but there could be no festivities.

The students had been taken care of in the country houses which stood on
the hills back of Flemington. These were the only places for miles about
which had not been flooded. As soon as communication with other places
had been made, Doctor Weldon was kept busy sending and receiving
telegrams. Each father and mother was distracted when news of the
flooding of Lockport came.

By Thursday evening, the students had returned. The drift and dirt had
been removed from the Seminary building, and the campus had been freed
from logs and driftwood. But some things could never be replaced. The
old apple trees had been uprooted; the grassy slope which had lain close
to the river front had been washed out to gravel bottom. The gray bricks
of the building showed the water mark and at the corner a few misplaced
ones told the story of how the old lamp post had saved the building.

The once beautiful halls were water-stained; hard-wood floors were
warped until they stood in little hollows and hills; and the polished
wood of the doors and balustrades had lost all semblance of beauty.

The girls rushed into one another's arms. They could talk now of the
flood for the danger had passed from them. The dormitories were a babel
of voices. A score of girls talked at once and not one listened to
another.

Miss Burkham from the hall below heard the confusion and retired to her
own apartments. She had no thought of interfering with the chatter.