A GARRET ADVENTURE 223

had anything so pleasant to—Halloa, what the mischief ’s
the matter ?”

They started up. Surely enough, something was the
matter. It was raining! A shower was coming down on
their heads, the ceiling was cracking, the baby screaming.
Patter, patter came the water, faster and faster. What
could it be? Perhaps the house was on fire and the fire-
men already were up-stairs with their hose! The thought
made Grandmother scream as she rushed to the baby’s
rescue. Mr. Brant dashed up the stairs, almost knocking
down Dot and Rob on the way.

“What ’s going on up here? Quick! where does the
water come from ?”

No need of asking the question. There were the pond,
the startled faces of the children, the pitchers, basins and
pails.

“What in the world!” cried the father, seizing a pail
and scooping up as much as he could from the pond.
“Here, lend a hand, all of you! Call Betsey! we must
empty this as quickly as possible.”

He had opened the little window by this time, had
emptied the pail, and was now dipping from the pond
again. The children meantime took the hint, and, opening
the other window, went to work as hard as they could.
Well, they emptied the pond in a quarter of the time it
had taken to fill it. Mrs. Brant, Grandma and Betsey came
to the rescue and did wonders with towels, sheets and
everything of that sort they could lay their hands on. In
her excitement, Mrs. Brant came near wiping the floor
with the baby.