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306 DICK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTAIN. of the înmates would quîckly vitiate the internai atmosphère. He crept along the ground and had the satisfaction of find- ing that the clay embankment was stîll perfectiy dry ; the orifice was quite unobstructed, allowii^ not only a fiee passage to the air, but admitting theglare of theoccasional flashes of lightning, which the descending volumes of mXef did not seem to stay. Having thus far satisfied himself that ail was wdl, and that there was no immédiate danger, Dick thought that he might now resig^ himself to sleep as well as the rest : ht took the précaution, however, of stretching himself apon the embankment within easy reach of the opening, and widi hîs head supported against the wall, after a while doced off. How long his light slumber had lasted he could not say, when he was aroused by a sensation of cold. He staited up, and to his horror discovered that the water had entered the ant-hill and was rising rapidly ; it couid not be long, be saw, before ît reached the cells which were occupied by Hercules and Tom. He wokc them at once, and told them what he had observed. The lantern was soon lighted, and they set to work to ascertain what progress the water was making. It rose for about five feet, when ît was found to remain stationary. "What îs the matter, Dick?" inquîred Mrs. Weldon, disturbcd by the movements of the men. " Nothing very alarming," answered Dick promptly ; " only somc water has found îts way into the lower part of the place ; it will not reach your upper cells ; probably some river has ovcrflowed its boundaries." " The very river, perhaps," suggested Hercules assuringly, " that îs to carry us to the coast." Mrs. Weldon made no reply. Cousin Benedict was still sleeping as soundly as if he were himself a white ant ; the negroes were peering down on to the sheet of water which reflected back the rays of the lantern, ready to carry out any orders gîven by Dick, who was quictly gauging the inundation, and removing the pro- visions and fire-arms out of its reach.