It was a tiresome task. The young navigator was obliged to go very slowly, and to constantly ask his sisters not to pull hard, lest the string should break. The vigorous push-off had given them a good start, and they made a little progress.
Once the string broke, but Alfy was able to fish up the line, for it was near, and Mansy knotted the broken ends together again. He now began to be more expert with his improvised paddles, and the string just kept tight, but with scarcely any strain upon it, yet prevented the tub from "wobbling"—steered it in fact to the house, and helped to counteract the flow of the water.
So gradually they progressed to the house. The moon was now declining, and a dark hour before the early dawn was at hand.
"How I'm going to get inside that house I don't know!" ejaculated Mansy at last, after surveying the front for some little time. "I can't get through the door—that would let the water in,—and climb to the upper part of that winder, I couldn't!"
"Oh, we'll manage it, dear Mansy, somehow, never fear! We are getting through our difficulties splendidly!"
But when they did get the tub safe under the window—which was accomplished at last—and Alfy had expressed his joy with a loud hurrah, then the new difficulty presented itself in full force. They were afraid to open the lower sash of the window, as the level of the water was just above it.
"How am I to scramble over the upper sash?" she exclaimed; "and how am I to get down on the other side?"
"Yes! and the room is full of water," cried Edie from the window above.
"Not full, Edie!" expostulated Alfy.
"Well, there is a great deal all over the floor, and in all the lower rooms," explained his sister.