“I am afraid that it will reach the stock-yard,” said Harry, “and it must be close to it already; if so, the cattle will have a poor chance. See, it has already carried away the hen-house, and there go the poor hens, flying away towards the nearest branches they can reach. Unfortunately, I cut the wings of a number only the other day because they would stray, and now they will all be lost.”
“Oh! what shall we do? What shall we do?” exclaimed Hector.
“We are not going to lose our lives if we can help it,” said Harry, who retained his presence of mind.
He was just then watching the piggeries. The torrent struck them, carrying away the palings and letting the inmates loose.
“Foolish beasts!” exclaimed Harry, “instead of swimming towards the shore they are going with their heads down the stream, taking it quite coolly. They might have been on dry ground in five minutes if they had gone in the right direction.”
Notwithstanding Harry’s warning, Hector insisted on getting upon the roof.
“The water would surely not rise much above the floor, and as the house had withstood the hurricane it would not be knocked down by the flood,” he said.
Calling to Reggy to help him, he climbed up and took his seat on the ridge.
“Come up! come up!” he shouted to Harry and Reggy; “you will be safe enough here.”
“You had better come down and get up that tree,” answered Harry, pointing to one which stood on ground of the same level as the house, and but a short distance from it.