nine o'clock in the
evening
`` A good many miles separate us from home , and as likely as not there are more rough times in store for us . '' Lightly spoken and lightly meant were these words , but Ned recalled them under thrilling circumstances a day or two later . All day Sunday the creek continued to rise slowly until it was just a foot from the top of the bank . It was stationary at nine o'clock in the evening , and when it began to fall two hours later the boys turned in , satisfied that the danger was over . The water receded a foot and a half during the night , but when Monday morning dawned with a clear sky the flood was still a sight to behold as it rolled swiftly by the camp , its smooth yellow surface dotted with tangled grasses and driftwood . As far as the boys could see was high and hilly land , but there was no doubt that the lowlands were inundated far on each side of the creek . The rains had been unusually heavy .