Flood Warning (3 page)
Tom joined her. He couldn't help grinning. He had gotten his wish for an extra day off school.
They climbed the first fence on their way home and stopped. The field had been damp when they walked through it earlier. Now, muddy water glistened on the surface. Green shoots of newly planted corn poked up through the water.
Sitting on top of the fence, Tom took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his pants. He jumped off the fence and landed with a splash. Peggy slipped off her shoes and socks and jumped.
They tried to hurry across the field, but the water came up to their knees in the low spots. Peggy had to hold up her dress. They crossed two more farms before nearing the fence around Tom's farm. Amos waited for them on the other side.
Tom was relieved to see his family's farm was still mostly dry. But the water was creeping under the fence, filling ruts and holes. When Tom and Peggy climbed over the fence, Amos ran around behind them and barked excitedly. It was as if he was trying to herd them away from the rising water.
“Good boy, Amos,” Tom said, reaching out to scratch the dog's head. “We're coming.”
As they neared his house, Tom realized his second wish was coming true. But not in the way he had expected. He had wanted to go to the river to help. But now the river was coming to him.
Peggy said goodbye and ran down the driveway toward her own house. Tom looked over his family's farm. No water had reached the house or barn yet. But he knew it was moving closer. The cows were usually at the far end of the pasture at this time of day. Today they stood close to the barn. A few cows mooed restlessly.
“I'm home!” Tom called as he entered the house. “They closed the school.”
Tom's mom stood in the kitchen, holding a chair. She frowned for a moment, then sighed.
“I guess that's just as well,” she said. “You can help move the furniture upstairs.”
“Do you think the water will come into the house?” Tom asked.
“I hope not,” said Mom. “But better safe than sorry.”
Tom and Mom spent the next hour carrying furniture to the second floor of the house. Then they rolled up the living-room carpet and hauled it up the stairs. They dropped it in the hallway and sat down on top of it.
“I'm beat,” said Tom.
“Me too,” said Mom. She pushed a strand of damp hair off her forehead.
From the hallway, Tom could see through the open doors of the two bedrooms and the spare room. The rooms were crammed with furniture. He would have to climb over the kitchen table to get to his bed.
“Maaa! Maaa!”
“Moo!”
The calls of upset cows rose to the upstairs windows. Mom stood up.
“What's going on?” she asked. She and Tom hurried to a window.
Below, a large group of cows was gathered at the edge of the spreading water. In the middle of the water, on a small island of grass, stood a lone calf.
“Maaa!” the little calf cried.
“Moo!” answered its mother from across the barrier of water.
“We've got to rescue it!” said Tom.
Tom and Mom hurried outside. While they had been busy moving furniture, brown murky water had crept up over the field around the cow barn. The cows were bunched in between the water and the barn. In front of the group stood one mother cow. Her head stretched out toward the calf who was stuck on the little mound of grass.
“Moo!” called the mother cow, as if calling the calf to come join her.
“Maa!” replied the frightened calf, refusing to budge.
Tom was still in bare feet. He rolled up his pants again and waded out to the calf's island. He stepped up behind her, set his hands on her hindquarters and pushed. The calf did not move.
“Come on,” Tom said in a gentle voice. “The water's not deep. You'll be through it in no time.”
The calf took one step into the water, then stepped back again. “Maa!”
Tom jumped out of the way before she could step on his feet. “It's no use,” Tom called to Mom.
She stood beside the mother cow, her lips pursed together in thought.
“Stay right there a minute,” she told Tom. She turned and disappeared into the barn and came out carrying a coil of rope. She tossed it across the water to Tom.
Tom looped the rope around the calf's neck and tied a knot. “Come on,” he coaxed again, tugging on the length of rope.
The calf tried to keep her feet planted, but Tom pulled harder. The calf took one step into the water and mooed in distress. Tom held tight to the rope as the calf tried to step backward again. He pulled once more, and the calf took another step.
“That's it!” called Mom.
The calf stood with all four hooves in the water now. It was only up to her knees, but she was still frightened. The calf's mother and the other cows mooed encouragement. Amos appeared from behind the barn and ran up to join them. His barks added to the noise.
“Maa!” cried the calf, looking at her mother.
Tom stepped forward, tugging on the rope. Suddenly the calf kicked up her hooves. She galloped the last few steps out of the water and onto dry land.
“Good work,” Mom said to Tom. The calf nuzzled up beside her mother. Mom frowned. “They're all on dry land now,” she said. “But not for long.”
Tom and Mom looked at the muddy water that was creeping closer and closer to the barn and house.
“Well,” said Mom, “we won't be able to carry the cows upstairs like we did with the furniture.”
Tom laughed, but he knew the problem was serious. He looked back at the little hill of grass on which the calf had been stranded.
“We need a big hill,” he said. “Big enough to fit all the cows and all the people.”
Mom nodded and looked thoughtful.
“Hello!” called a voice behind them. It was Peggy riding up the driveway on her bicycle. She stopped the bike and hopped off. Amos trotted over to sniff one of her legs, his tail wagging.
“I can't stay,” Peggy said, keeping hold of her handlebars. “I've got to get back home to help pack. I just stopped by to tell you about the evacuation train. It's taking anyone who wants to leave to Vancouver.”
“Are you going?” Tom asked.
“Just my mom, my little brother and me,” Peggy told them. “My dad's still helping at the river. He and my older brothers are staying here with the cows.”
Tom looked at Mom.
“What are we going to do?” he asked. A train ride to the city would be fun, but the Lone Ranger wouldn't evacuate. He would stay and help.
“I'd like you to be on that train,” Mom said. “A flood is no place for children.”
“But what about the cows?” said Tom. “There's no train for them.”
“You're right,” said Mom. “We'll have to figure out what to do with the cows. And we can't wait for your dad.”
