laughed to himself at the warning, but nevertheless took the advice.
He had been asleep for an hour when he felt the whole house rock. A moment
later the roof blew bodily from over his head, and at the same time there
was a roar so terrible that he did not even hear the crash of the falling
timber. He leapt out of bed, seized his clothes, and hurried down. He met
Mr. Palethorpe coming from his daughter's room, carrying her wrapped up in
her bed-clothes. They went down together to the front door. Will turned
the handle, and the door was blown in with a force that knocked him to the
floor. He struggled to his feet again and tried to get out, but the force
of the wind was so tremendous that for some time he could not stem it.
When he did manage to get through the doorway he saw Mr. Palethorpe
standing some distance from the house. He fought his way towards him
against the wind.

"Are you not going to get into shelter?" he shouted in the planter's ear.

"It is safer here in the open," the planter said; "I dare not get below a
tree, but I will put my daughter in a place where she will be safe."

Struggling along against the gale he led the way to a small shed where the
gardener's tools were kept. It was about six feet long and three broad,
and was built of bricks. The floor was some feet below the surface of the
ground, so in entering one had to descend a short flight of steps.

"Just hold my daughter on her feet," the planter said, "while I clear this
place out."

Much as he tried, Will was unable to keep the girl upright, and after a
vain effort he allowed her to sink down on her knees and then knelt by her
side. As soon as he had cleared away the tools Mr. Palethorpe came up and
carried her down into the shed.

"I think we are quite safe here," he said; "the wall is only two feet
above the ground, so even this gale will not shake us. The roof is
strongly put together to keep out marauders. Now, Mr. Gilmore, there is
room for us to crouch inside; it is the only place of safety I know of,
for even in the open we might be struck by the flying branches torn from
the trees. Besides, it will be a comfort to Alice to know that we are in
safety beside her."

They spoke only occasionally, for the roar of the tempest was deafening.
Every now and then they would hear a crash as some tree yielded to the
force of the hurricane. Towards morning the gale abated, and soon after
sunrise the wind suddenly stilled. When they looked o