The sound, by this time, was clearly to be distinguished from the steady and monotonous beat of the rain, and from the grating of ice floes in the river and the splash of waves on the bank. In a way it suggested the approach of a heavy train—and a train coming on at high speed.
Lon’s arm shot out. His hand closed on Sam’s arm.
“Come on!” he shouted to Orkney. “Hustle for all you’re wuth!”
The boys were close behind him as he crashed through the bushes, straight away from the river. They ran as for their lives, while the rumbling sound grew in volume. They splashed through a pool, the water of which came to their knees. They crossed a little ridge, waded another small pond, gained higher ground. Here were some trees of considerable size, and Lon paused an instant as if meditating taking shelter among them.
The rumbling now had grown to a roar, in which the other sounds of the storm were lost. And whatever was causing it was drawing very near the spot where the three stood. Lon peered hard up the valley, then turned toward the trees.
“May be a climbin’ job!” he sang out. “Look lively, both of you! What’s comin’ is goin’ to be a-plenty, and it’s ’most here.”
Sam, too, had been making swift observation, and his eye had caught something which had escaped Lon’s vision. A patch of light, faint, glimmering, half hidden by intervening branches—so much he made out. Then it was his turn to shout, “Come on—quick!” He broke into a run, and with Tom and Lon at his heels hurried toward the light, which, feeble though it might be, was like a friendly beacon.
The rumbling roar was thunderous as they burst into a clearing and made out the dim mass of a building, from which the light glimmered. Instinctively they dashed for the door. Lon tore desperately at the boards which barred it, but Tom and Sam turned to the window. From the lips of each burst an exclamation of amazement.
By the light of the fire on the hearth they made out two figures. They recognized the missing pair. Both Varley and the Shark appeared to have been dozing on the floor, and just to have been awakened by the ominous tumult without; for the one was starting to his feet, and the other, on hands and knees, was peering dazedly through his spectacles at the window.
But this was a time for swift action and not for pause for inquiries. Lon, abandoning the door, sprang to his companions. He caught Sam, and swung him to the ledge of the window, which still luckily was open; seized Tom and raised him to the same position of comparative safety. Then as the boys dropped to the floor of the room, he climbed with all speed after them. Sam, turning, laid hold on his arm, dragging him over the ledge, just as the thunder seemed to be rolling all about them, and just as a wave, palely crested with white foam, went swirling down the valley, crashing viciously on the foundations of the old house and rising to the top of the stout masonry.