“Suppose it would be after so much rain,” Bob put in.
“No it isn’t,” Mrs. Fenton answered, and she looked very serious. “It’s higher now than it’s been in years, and with the rain stopped, it will fill more. There are so many streams, some big ones, that empty into it all around.” She went with the boys to the back veranda and glanced across anxiously. “I can’t see Gull Rock at all, and Fisher’s Island looks as if half of it is under water.”
“If it comes flooding too high, we’ll take you and Uncle Norman up in Her Highness out of danger,” Bob promised.
“We can get in the boats if necessary, Bob, and we’ve got a lot of high land for the stock, so that will be all right, but there are many of the people here who have small farms. My land sakes alive, I expect that some of them are in a bad way right this minute. I’ll go telephone.” She hurried into the house, and in a moment the boys heard her talking with some neighbors.
“Let’s have a walk around,” Bob suggested.
“We won’t need to wheel Her Highness out. Look at the carriage shed,” Jim exclaimed as he happened to glance in that direction and saw the water lapping up under the wide doors.
“Cracky. Let’s see if she’s all right.”
“We’ll have to take our shoes off—or get boots.”
“I’ll see if Aunt Belle has any extra pairs around.” He went inside, while Jim surveyed the turbulent waters which had risen several feet and were thrashing up to the edge of Mrs. Fenton’s flower garden, and was more than half way across the lawn when the two boys first saw it.
“Come on,” Bob called, and Jim went inside to the shed. “Here are some boots. Aunt Belle says they are water-proof, but not very handsome. They have been patched.”