104 IS IT GOING TO RAIN ? 



encamped appeared to be the focus of three distinct 

 but converging storms. The last two seemed to come 

 into collision immediately over our camp-fire and to 

 contend for the right of way until the heavens were 

 ready to fall and both antagonists were literally 

 spent. We stood in groups about the struggling fire, 

 and when the cannonade became too terrible would 

 withdraw into the cover of the darkness as if to be 

 a less conspicuous mark for the bolts ; or did we 

 fear the fire, with its currents, might attract the light- 

 ning ? At any rate, some other spot than the one 

 where we happened to be standing seemed desira- 

 ble when those onsets of the contending elements 

 were the most furious. Something that one could 

 not catch in his hat was liable to drop almost any- 

 where any minute. The alarm and consternation of 

 the wives communicated itself to the husbands, and 

 they looked solemn and concerned. The air was 

 filled with falling water. The sound upon the myriad 

 leaves and branches was like the roar of a cataract. 

 We put our backs up against the great trees only to 

 catch a brook on our shoulders or in the backs of our 

 necks. Still the storm waxed. The fire was beaten 

 down lower and lower. It surrendered one post after 

 another, like a besieged city, and finally made only 

 a feeble resistance from beneath a pile of charred 

 logs and branches in the centre. Our garments 

 yielded to the encroachments of the rain in about the 

 same manner. I believe my neck-tie held out the 

 longest and carried a few dry threads safely through. 



