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cradle； she thought of everything and everybody； but still was
wide…awake as ever。
It was nearly twelve o'clock when she at last lay down in her
clothes。 How long she slept she could not remember； but she awoke
with a dreadful choking in her throat； and found herself standing；
trembling all over； in the middle of the room； with her baby
clasped to her breast； and she was 〃saying something。〃 The baby
cried and sobbed； and she walked up and down trying to hush it when
she heard a scratching at the door。 She opened it fearfully； and
was glad to see it was only old Pete； their dog； who crawled；
dripping with water； into the room。 She would like to have looked
out； not in the faint hope of her husband's coming； but to see how
things looked； but the wind shook the door so savagely that she
could hardly hold it。 Then she sat down a little while； and then
walked up and down a little while； and then she lay down again a
little while。 Lying close by the wall of the little cabin； she
thought she heard once or twice something scrape slowly against the
clapboards； like the scraping of branches。 Then there was a little
gurgling sound； 〃like the baby made when it was swallowing〃； then
something went 〃click…click〃 and 〃cluck…cluck；〃 so that she sat up
in bed。 When she did so she was attracted by something else that
seemed creeping from the back door toward the center of the room。
It wasn't much wider than her little finger； but soon it swelled to
the width of her hand； and began spreading all over the floor。 It
was water。
She ran to the front door and threw it wide open； and saw nothing
but water。 She ran to the back door and threw it open； and saw
nothing but water。 She ran to the side window； and throwing that
open； she saw nothing but water。 Then she remembered hearing her
husband once say that there was no danger in the tide； for that
fell regularly； and people could calculate on it； and that he would
rather live near the bay than the river； whose banks might overflow
at any time。 But was it the tide？ So she ran again to the back
door； and threw out a stick of wood。 It drifted away toward the
bay。 She scooped up some of the water and put it eagerly to her
lips。 It was fresh and sweet。 It was the river； and not the tide！
It was thenO God be praised for his goodness！ she did neither
faint nor fall； it was thenblessed be the Saviour； for it was his
merciful hand that touched and strengthened her in this awful
momentthat fear dropped from her like a garment； and her
trembling ceased。 It was then and thereafter that she never lost
her self…command； through all the trials of that gloomy night。
She drew the bedstead toward the middle of the room； and placed a
table upon it and on that she put the cradle。 The water on the
floor was already over her ankles； and the house once or twice
moved so perceptibly； and seemed to be racked so； that the closet
doors all flew open。 Then she heard the same rasping and thumping
against the wall； and； looking out； saw that a large uprooted tree；
which had lain near the road at the upper end of the pasture； had
floated down to the house。 Luckily its long roots dragged in the
soil and kept it from moving as rapidly as the current； for had it
struck the house in its full career； even the strong nails and
bolts in the piles could not have withstood the shock。 The hound
had leaped upon its knotty surface； and crouched near the roots
shivering and whining。 A ray of hope flashed across her mind。 She
drew a heavy blanket from the bed； and； wrapping it about the babe；
waded in the deepening waters to the door。 As the tree swung
again； broadside on； making the little cabin creak and tremble； she
leaped on to its trunk。 By God's mercy she succeeded in obtaining
a footing on its slippery surface； and； twining an arm about its
roots； she held in the other her moaning child。 Then something
cracked near the front porch； and the whole front of the house she
had just quitted fell forwardjust as cattle fall on their knees
before they lie downand at the same moment the great redwood tree
swung round and drifted away with its living cargo into the black
night。
For all the excitement and danger； for all her soothing of her
crying babe； for all the whistling of the wind； for all the
uncertainty of her situation； she still turned to look at the
deserted and water…swept cabin。 She remembered even then； and she
wonders how foolish she was to think of it at that time； that she
wished she had put on another dress and the baby's best clothes；
and she kept praying that the house would be spared so that he；
when he returned； would have something to come to； and it wouldn't
be quite so desolate； andhow could he ever know what had become
of her and baby？ And at the thought she grew sick and faint。 But
she had something else to do besides worrying； for whenever the
long roots of her ark struck an obstacle； the whole trunk made half
a revolution； and twice dipped her in the black water。 The hound；
who kept distracting her by running up and down the tree and
howling； at last fell off at one of these collisions。 He swam for
some time beside her； and she tried to get the poor beast up on the
tree； but he 〃acted silly〃 and wild； and at last she lost sight of
him forever。 Then she and her baby were left alone。 The light
which had burned for a few minutes in the deserted cabin was
quenched suddenly。 She could not then tell whither she was
drifting。 The outline of the white dunes on the peninsula showed
dimly ahead； and she judged the tree was moving in a line with the
river。 It must be about slack water； and she had probably reached
the eddy formed by the confluence of the tide and the overflowing
waters of the river。 Unless the tide fell soon； there was present
danger of her drifting to its channel； and being carried out to sea
or crushed in the floating drift。 That peril averted； if she were
carried out on the ebb toward the bay； she might hope to strike one
of the wooded promontories of the peninsula； and rest till
daylight。 Sometimes she thought she heard voices and shouts from
the river； and the bellowing of cattle and bleating of sheep。 Then
again it was only the ringing in her ears and throbbing of her
heart。 She found at about this time that she was so chilled and
stiffened in her cramped position that she could scarcely move； and
the baby cried so when she put it to her breast that she noticed
the milk refused to flow； and she was so frightened at that； that
she put her head under her shawl； and for the first time cried
bitterly。
When she raised her head again； the boom of the surf was behind
her； and she knew that her ark had again swung round。 She dipped
up the water to cool her parched throat； and found that it was salt
as her tears。 There was a relief； though； for by this sign she
knew that she was drifting with the tide。 It was then the wind
went dow