“Hullo, everybody! Speakin’ o’ daylight, I can see something that’s mighty good for my sore eyes. What is it, eh? Well, it’s where there used to be roof, and where there ain’t any roof left now. But in place of it is jest the cheerfulest patch o’ mighty nigh washed out dawn that ever showed over to the east’ard. It’s mornin’, boys, or ’twill be in a few shakes of a lamb’s tail. Oh, well, see for yourselves then, if you ain’t willin’ to believe me.”
The Shark dropped his torch—it went out with a hiss in the pool at his feet—and raced up the stair. Orkney and Sam dashed after him.
What Lon had told them was true. An end of the roof was missing—carried away, perhaps, by the barge. And there the sky showed gray and dull, yet with the early dawn upon it.
No doubt the attic was even more cheerless, otherwise, than the room they had just quitted, but that patch of light made amends for everything. What if the drenching rain had poured through the break until the place were half-afloat? What if here the tumult of the storm and of the flood were louder and more menacing than ever? The darkness had been the direst of their troubles, and now it was about to be ended.
The missing segment of roof extended close to the floor at one end. Sam had no trouble in looking out. And he it was who made a discovery, at which he raised a cry as jubilant as Lon’s had been but a moment before.
Under the gray sky the flooded river spread like a black lake all about them. But close at hand, drifting directly toward the house, was that which he longed most to see.
“A boat! A boat!”
His call brought his companions to his side. Eagerly they gazed, and joined in a chorus of hails to the navigators. There were two of these. Each had been sitting huddled on a thwart; each roused to activity at sound of human voices, and, catching up a piece of board, fell to paddling wildly.
The Shark needed spectacles to improve his vision, yet it fell to his lot to be first to recognize the boatmen.
“Jupiter Crickets! Poke and Step!” he gasped; and in his tone was more bewilderment than delight.