"
"But-----"
The thunder roared again. A light patter on the leaves and
ground announced the first drops of the storm.
"Which tree was it you saw smoking?" asked the young fellow.
Nan looked around to find the tall, broken-topped tree. A murmur
that had been rising in the distance suddenly grew to a sweeping
roar. The trees bent before the blast. Particles of sawdust
stung their faces. The horses snorted and sprang ahead. Tom had
difficulty in quieting them.
Then the tempest swooped upon them in earnest.
Chapter XXVI
BUFFETED BY THE ELEMENTS
Nan knew she had never seen it rain so hard before. The falling
water was like a drop-curtain, swept across the stage of the open
tract of sawdust. In a few minutes they were saturated to the
skin. Nan could not have been any wetter if she had gone in
swimming.
"Oh!" she gasped into Tom's ear. "It is the deluge!"
"Never was, but one rain 't didn't clear up yet," he returned,
with difficulty, for his big body was sheltering Nan in part, and
he was facing the blast.
"I know. That's this one," she agreed. "But, it's awful."
"Say! Can you point out that tree that smoked?" asked Tom.
"Goodness! It can't be smoking now," gasped Nan, stifled with
rain and laughter.
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