"The
_Venture_ must be afloat, though. I wonder if father knows it?"
Just then Major Caspar appeared, evidently prepared to face the storm.
"Well, little daughter," he said, "high-water has come at last, and the
time of our departure is at hand. I am going down to see what Winn
thinks of it."
"Oh, can't I go with you, papa? I should dearly love to!" cried Elta.
"Well, I don't know," hesitated the Major. "I suppose you might if you
were rigged for it."
This permission was sufficient, and the active girl bounded away full
of glee at the prospect of a battle with the storm, and of surprising
Winn on the raft. Three minutes later she reappeared, clad in rubber
boots and a water-proof cloak, the hood of which, drawn over her head,
framed her face in the most bewitching manner.
The Major attempted to protect her still further with a large umbrella;
but they had hardly left the house before a savage gust swooped down
and gleefully rendered it useless by turning it inside out. Casting
the umbrella aside, the Major clasped Elta's hand firmly in his. Then
with bowed heads the two pushed steadily on towards the river-bank,
while the wind scattered bits of their merry laughter far and wide.
It took them but a few minutes to reach the little stream, when their
laughter was suddenly silenced.
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