"Off with you," exclaimed Harry; "we will follow on foot."

Bendigo cracked his whip, and his horses dashed forward at such a rate
that it was a wonder the dray did not immediately capsize. Harry
watched it anxiously as it went down a dip from which there was a gentle
rise. Already a stream of water was running through the hollow, but it
looked a mere rivulet, not half a foot deep, which could be passed over
with a good spring.

"It is a pity we should not get a few more goods," said Harry; "although
I don't believe the water will reach the house: yet, if it does,
everything will be spoiled, if not washed away."

They hurried through the rooms, picking up whatever they thought most
valuable. Even Hector was inspired with a desire to save something,
especially several articles belonging to himself. Harry had taken a run
into the kitchen, where he discovered some dampers, which Biddy in her
alarm had forgotten to remove from the ashes.

"It is a pity to lose these," said Harry, clapping them into the pockets
of his jacket--good capacious ones, as every bushman's should be. There
was, besides, a pot of yams, by this time completely cooked.

"Here, Reggy, stow some of these away," he cried out. "The chances are
that we shall not have too much to eat on the top of the hill there,
unless Biddy has been more thoughtful than she appears to have been when
she left these. What she could have been about I don't know!"

So busily were they engaged that they did not hear the increased roar of
the waters.

"Come, you fellows, it's time to be off, I'm sure," cried Hector, who
had been feeling very nervous all the time.

"Just half a minute longer," answered Harry; "I must lash these things
up."

Hector, however, would not stop, and rushed out of the house. Directly
afterwards he came back, looking very pale.

"The water is rushing through the hollow like a mill-sluice!" he
exclaimed; "we shall lose our lives if we attempt to cross."

Harry and Reggy followed him out. He spoke too truly. They were cut
off from what was now the mainland by a foaming torrent twelve yards or
more in width, which was carrying along fruit-trees, rocks, and palings,
whirling them round and round so that it would be impossible to swim
across or to wade, even should the depth allow of their doing so.
Hector threw down his load and wrung his hands.

"Stay!" cried Harry, "we've got a ladder! we may get across by that."

They all three r