The Flood Twenty-four hours of a hard, continuous downpour, accompanied by a warm south wind, worked a mighty difference in the aspect of things at Roaring Water Portage.

By night on the day following the arrival of the mail from Maxokama, the water was coming down the rapids with a roar, bringing great lumps of ice with it, which crashed to fragments on the rocks, or were washed down with the current to be a menace to the shipping anchored in the river below.
All day long, heedless of the pouring rain, the men had worked at getting the boats free from their winter coating of ice and snow.
So when night came, everyone was too thoroughly wet and tired to think of night school, which gave Katherine a welcome holiday from teaching.
She spent the time in sewing, and in making herself so generally entertaining that even her father was more than once beguiled into laughter.

He was better and more hopeful than for a long time past.

He was even led into thinking and talking of the future, and the work which would have to be done directly the fast-melting snow made it possible to get about once more.

Before daylight faded he had helped Miles to get the big boat out, and carefully inspected the seams to make sure that no caulking was required.