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Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue on an Auto Tour, a novel by Laura Lee Hope |
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Chapter 11. In The Flood |
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_ CHAPTER XI. IN THE FLOOD For a moment all was confusion inside the big automobile. Mr. and Mrs. Brown got up and dressed hastily. Bunny and Sue thought little of doing that until Sue, feeling cold around her bare legs, called to her brother: "Wrap yourself up in a blanket, Bunny, like an Indian." "What's going on?" yelled Uncle Tad, from his bunk. "That's what we're trying to find out," said Mr. Brown. "Seems to me we're afloat," added Uncle Tad. "We certainly are at sea." "It does feel so," agreed Daddy Brown, for the automobile was bumping along the roadway, and the motor was not running, either. Something was either pushing or pulling it. Just then came the howls and whines of the two dogs, Dix and Splash. They had been left out on the front seat of the car, with big curtains hung in front of them so no rain could splatter on them. "Oh, something's the matter with them!" cried Bunny Brown, and in a few minutes he had opened the window back of the seat and let the frantic dogs leap into the auto. They barked joyfully now, and frisked about Bunny and Sue. With the opening of the window, however, came in a gust of wind and rain that made Mrs. Brown call: "Children you'll catch dreadful colds! Get right to bed this instant." "Oh, Mother, we want to stay up and see what's going to happen," said Bunny. "Maybe the automobile might tip over." "And if we were in bed we'd be all upside down and tangled in the clothes," added Sue. "Please let us stay up! We'll wrap in blankets like Indians." "Better let them get dressed," said Mr. Brown in a low voice to his wife. "There's no telling what has happened." "What do you think?" and her voice was anxious. "Well, it feels as if we were in a stream of some sort, partly afloat. Let the children get dressed," answered her husband. Bunny Brown and his sister heard and hastened to their curtained-off bunks. Meanwhile Uncle Tad had closed the window near the front seat and that kept out the wind and rain. And it was raining and blowing hard. Those in the cosy car could hear the drops dash against the panes, while the wind howled around the corners of the machine. The automobile itself was bumping along as if, indeed, it was floating down some stream, or had gone to sea like one of Mr. Brown's boats. The dogs had ceased their whining now. "I guess they were scared, out there all alone," said Bunny, when he was nearly dressed. "I'm glad they're in here with us now." "So am I," said Sue, as she came out into the sitting room, where Mother Brown had turned on the electric lights. It was a bit cool in the auto, for the storm had taken all the heat from the air, but there was danger in lighting one of the stoves. Though he did not let the children know, Mr. Brown thought there might be a risk of fire if the gasolene stove were lighted, because the big car might overturn. "Now to see what it's all about," said Mr. Brown, when he and Uncle Tad were fully dressed. "We'll find out if we are adrift on the Atlantic or Pacific ocean, and how to get to shore." He was putting on his rubber boots and raincoat, and Uncle Tad was doing the same thing. Then Mr. Brown got a lantern and lighted it, for he was going to open the back door of the car to look outside, to see where the flood was taking them. For he was sure now, by the motion of the automobile, that the heavy rain had turned a small stream, near which they had stopped for the night, into a small-sized river, and that had risen high enough, or had come down with force enough, to sweep the big auto-van ahead with it. But no sooner had Mr. Brown and Uncle Tad opened the back door of the automobile, that a gust of wind blew out the lantern, for there was a hole in the glass enclosing the flame and the wind puffed right through the lantern. "Well, I can't very well see in the dark," said Mr. Brown, as he came in to light the lantern once more. "It's a very strong wind." Again he opened the door, but in a second the lantern was blown out once more. Only the electric lights, kept aglow in the car by the storage battery, remained gleaming. "I ought to have one of those pocket flash lights," said Mr. Brown. "I meant to get a strong one, but I forgot it." "I have one, Daddy," said Bunny. "Where? Give it to me!" called his father quickly. "We must do something at once." "I don't know where it is," Bunny had to confess. "I was playing with it the other day, but I must have left it somewhere----" "Never mind, I'll try the lantern again," said Mr. Brown. "It's sure to blow out," said Uncle Tad. "Perhaps we can paste something over the hole," suggested Mrs. Brown. "Oh, Daddy," cried Sue, "take my Teddy bear! Her eyes will give you almost as much light as Bunny's flashlight. Maybe more, 'cause she has _two_ eyes. She won't mind the rain, for I can put on her water-proof cloak." "Hum! That isn't such a bad idea," said Mr. Brown. "We'll try it. Bring out your Sallie Malinda Teddy bear, Sue. Her eyes will certainly need to shine brightly to-night, for it's very dark. It's a good thing you have her along." "I'll find my flashlight to-morrow," promised Bunny. "I'll get one myself then," said his father. "No telling when we might need it." All this while the big automobile was slowly bumping and moving along. Uncle Tad and Mr. Brown took Sue's Teddy bear. By pressing on a button in the toy's back the eyes shone brightly, two electric lights being behind them. "Does Sallie Malinda give a good light, Daddy?" asked Sue, as her father got ready to open the door again. "Yes, little girl. It will be all right, and the wind can't blow out Sallie's eyes, no matter how hard it puffs." With the Teddy bear as a lantern Mr. Brown again went out. This time the wind did not matter, though it seemed to be blowing harder than ever. Uncle Tad followed Mr. Brown out on the rear steps of the car. They shut the door behind them to keep out the rain. "Why, it's a regular flood!" cried Uncle Tad, as the Teddy bear's eyes flashed on swirling and muddy water. "That's what it is," said Daddy Brown. "Say, we've got to do something!" he cried to his uncle. "And we've got to do it soon. We'll have to anchor--tie the auto to a tree or something. This flood may carry us down to the big river just below!" _ |
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