There was another house at the bend. Helen tooted the automobile horn
as though it had gone crazy. The raucous notes must of a certainty
have awakened anybody but the Seven Sleepers. But the three in the car
saw no sign of life about the premises. Helen had started to slow
down; but Tom stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Not here! Not here!" he yelled. "Get across the river first, Nell!
That wave is coming!"

Indeed it was. And the toll-bridge keeper did not appear, and the
gates were shut. But Helen Cameron was excited now and her racing
blood was up. She never hesitated at the frail barrier, but drove
straight through it, smashing the gate to kindling wood, and smashing
their own wind shield as well.

Out ran the toll-man then; but they were half way across the bridge;
he could barely have raised the other gate had he set about it
instantly. So they went through that, too, leaving him bawling and
shrieking after them, but soon to learn by looking up the river what
Tom meant by his excited words as the motor car swept by.

Helen slowed down at the smithy. There were several men there and a
number of wagons. The trio in the car screamed at them: "The dam has
burst! The flood is coming!" and then started up again and swept
through the little village, looking back to see the group at the
smithy running in all directions to give the alarm

Now the road, clear to the Red Mill and beyond, ran within sight of
the river. The mill was all of ten miles away. The valley was low here