ckly.

"N-no," spluttered his cousin. "B-but I kn-kn-knocked the wind out of
m-me."

In a minute more the boys had reached the shelter of the rocks where
they overhung the Rick Rack River. Here they found a shelter several
feet above the madly rushing torrent. The place was twelve or fifteen
feet in length, and several feet in depth. Above them was a shelving
rock which, while it did not shelter them completely, did much to ward
off the heavy downpour of rain.

"Not as comfortable as a Morris chair in the library at school,"
remarked Andy, as he swished the water from his cap, "but it's a good
deal better than being in the open."

"Provided we do not have to stay here too long," returned his twin.
"What time is it, Jack? I didn't bring my watch with me."

"Quarter to five," announced the young captain, after consulting his
wrist-watch.

"We ought to be on our way to the Hall," said Fred. "I don't know what
Captain Dale will say if we are late."

"Oh, he'll excuse us when he learns the truth," answered Jack. "Just the
same, I'd give a good deal if we were back safe and sound at the school.
We certainly can't stay here all night, and it looks as if this storm
was going to be a lasting one."

"Maybe we are in for another couple of weeks of rain," growled Andy.
"Gee! I wish the Weather Bureau would go out of existence. They have
been predicting clearing weather for over a week, and it never came at
all."

Crouching down in the shelter of the overhanging rocks, the four cadets
made themselves as comfortable as possible. Over them and out on the
river swished the wind and the rain. Just below them the mountain
torrent boiled and foamed with increasing violence, showing that the
heavy downpour was making matters steadily worse.

"I shouldn't want to have a cabin on the edge of this stream," remarked
Fred presently.

"Not much!" exclaimed Andy. "You'd be in danger every minute of having
it floated away."

"Look there, will you?" cried Randy a moment later, as he pointed out in
the stream. "If that isn't a chicken-coop then I miss my guess!"

"You're right! And it's got one or two chickens in it!" burst out Jack.

"That shows that some of the farm lands up the river must be under
water," remarked Andy.

"Maybe we'll see a house or a barn coming down next," cried Fred. "Gee,
this certainly is some storm!" he added, as another flash of lightning
lit up the sky. Then came the thunder, rolling and rumbling along