38 A YEAR WITH NELLIE.

All this time the thunder never stopped but
rolled on incessantly, now deepening into a
roar, now dying into a distant muttering growl.

At last! there were the dear familiar chim-
neys behind the rising ground. Not much
farther now, though the hill had never seemed
so long or so hard to climb. The top was
reached, and then it took but a minute to de-
scend the other side, and dart in at the gate.

The front door was open, and in the porch
stood Mrs. Maine, who had been anxiously
looking out and listening for the return of her
children. She gave a sigh of relief when, hot,
panting, and dripping with water, they half
tumbled into the hall.

Then, for the first time, Nellie missed some-
thing.

“Oh,” she said in a low tone full of dismay,
“we have gone and left my book behind!”