Part 13 (2/2)

said Mildred.

”Yes, dear; but we will talk over all that when we get to the Red-hill:--we must not talk any more now, but set to work. However, I really think, Mildred, that father and mother are still alive somewhere.

I feel as if they were.”

”But the Red-hill,” said Mildred, ”what do you mean about the Red-hill?

We are not going there, where Roger is,--are we?”

”We must, dear. There is no other place. Roger is very unkind: but floods and falling houses are unkinder still. Come, Ailwin, help me with the raft. We must carry away what we can before dark. There will be no house standing to-morrow morning, I am afraid.”

”Sleep on the ground!” exclaimed Ailwin. ”Without a roof to cover us!

My poor grandfather little thought I should ever come to that.”

”If you will move the beds, you need not sleep on the bare ground,” said Oliver. ”Now, Ailwin, don't you begin to cry. Pray don't. You are a grown-up woman, and Mildred and I are only children. You ought to take care of us, instead of beginning to cry.”

”That is pretty true,” said Ailwin: ”but I little thought ever to sleep without a roof over my head.”

”Come, come, there are the trees,” said Oliver. ”They are something of a roof, while the leaves are on.”

”And there is all that cloth,” said Mildred; ”that immensely long piece of cloth. Would not that make a tent, somehow?”

”Capital!” cried Oliver. ”How well we shall be off with a cloth tent!

It seems as if that cloth was sent on purpose. It is so spoiled already, that we can hardly do it any harm. And I am sure the person that wove it would be very glad that it should cover our heads to-night.

I shall carry it and you across before anything else--this very minute.

I will run down and bring the raft round to the door below. The water is low enough now for you to get out that way.--Oh dear! I wish I was not so tired! I can hardly move. But I must forget all that; for it will not do to stay here.”

While he was gone, Mildred asked Ailwin whether she was very tired.

”Pretty much; but not so bad as he,” replied Ailwin.

”Then do not you think you and I could fetch off a good many things, while he watches Geordie on the gra.s.s? If you thought you could row the raft, I am sure I could carry a great many things down-stairs, and land them on the hill.”

Ailwin had no doubt she could row, in such a narrow and gentle stream as now ran through the garden.

She made the trial first when Oliver was on board, and several other times with Mildred, succeeding always very well. Oliver was extremely glad of this; for the bridge-basket had been used so much, and sometimes for such heavy weights, that it was wearing out, and might break down at any moment. The bridge-rope, too, being the stoutest cord they had, was very useful for tying the raft to the trunk of the beech, so that it could not be carried away. When once this rope was well fastened, Oliver was content to rest himself on the gra.s.s beside Geordie, and let the strong Ailwin and little Mildred work as they wished. It surprised him, well as he knew Ailwin, to see the loads she could carry, bringing a good-sized mattress up the bank as easily as he could have carried a pillow. She wrung the wet out of the long piece of home-spun, and spread it out in the sun, to dry as much as it could before dark, and seemed to think no more of it than Mildred did of was.h.i.+ng her doll's petticoat.

Mildred took charge of the lighter articles that required care--her mother's china, for one thing; for it was found that nothing made of earthenware remained unbroken in the lower rooms. There were some pewter plates, which were now lodged under the beech, together with pots and pans, knives and forks, and horn spoons. There was no table light enough to be moved, but a small one of deal, which Ailwin dragged out from under water, with all its legs broken: but enough of it remained entire to make it preferable to the bare ground for preparing their food on, when once it should be dry. There was a stool a-piece--not forgetting one for Roger; and Mildred took care that Geordie should have his own little chair. Not even Ailwin could carry a chest of drawers: but she carried down the separate drawers, with the clothes of the family in them. No one of the household had ever seen a carpet; but there was matting on some of the floors. Ailwin pulled up pieces of this, to be some protection against the damp and insects of the ground.

”It is as wet as water now,” said she; ”but we must not quarrel with anything to-day on that account; and matting will dry on the hill better than at home. If it turns out rotten, we must try and spare a piece of the cloth from overhead, to lay underfoot: but George will feel it more like home, if he has a bit of matting to trip his little foot against.”

So down-stairs went a great bundle of wet matting.

”Will not that do for to-night?” asked Oliver, languidly, as he saw Ailwin preparing to put off again, when the sun was just touching the western hills. ”You know we have to put up the tent, and get something to eat before we can go to sleep; and it has been such a long, long day!”

”As you please,” said Ailwin; ”but you said the house would be down in the night; and there are many things yet that we should be sorry to have to do without.”

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