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 the river and the mountains beyond.
A quarter of an hour passed, and while the wind blew as violently as ever, it seemed to the impatient cadets that the rain was slackening a little.
"Maybe it will let up in the next half-hour or so," remarked Jack hopefully. "Then, if we strike out for the turnpike, we'll be able to get down to the Hall in no time."
"Oh, sure! Only three miles through the mud; and of course that's nothing," remarked Andy airily.