The River Kept Rising

Transcription

1 The River Kept Rising by Valerie Ross illustrated by Adam Gustavson HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

2 The River Kept Rising by Valerie Ross illustrated by Adam Gustavson Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers, Attn: Permissions, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida Printed in China ISBN-13: ISBN-10: If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

3 Foreword All the major waterways in a vast region of the central United States drain into the Mississippi River. In early 1927, a series of storms pelted that region. As the water poured into the Mississippi, the river rose and kept on rising. A system of levees huge, sloped walls of packed earth had been built to keep the river within its banks. However, by April of 1927, the storm-swollen Mississippi threatened to spill over the levees or wash portions away. Everyone knew that a crack in the levees could flood the surrounding countryside. Government officials assured area residents that the levees would hold. Then, on April 16, reports from Cairo, Illinois, brought news that a nearby levee had collapsed, flooding thousands of acres. A few hundred miles downriver, nervous residents in Greenville, Mississippi the largest city on the Mississippi Delta worried about their own levee. This story is a fictional account of two brothers from Greenville who lived through the Great Flood of

4 Momma, can I go with Dad and Jess up to the levee and have a look-see? asked Jimmy Travers. That s up to your father, replied Jimmy s mom, Ann. Well, Dad, can I go? pleaded Jimmy. I won t get in the way. I promise. OK, son, said Ben Travers, a prominent Greenville physician. You can come, but I don t want any foolishness. Yes, sir, said Jimmy. Oh, and can Moose come along, too? Moose jumped up from his spot under the table at Jimmy s feet and began barking in eager agreement. Though frowning, Doc Travers gave his consent. 3

5 After a short drive from their home, Doc Travers and his sons reached the levee, where the scene before them was unlike anything they d ever witnessed. Regiments of weary-looking men were busy filling sandbags as others swung the rain-soaked 100-pound bags onto their shoulders and trudged to the top of the levee. Once on top, the workers stacked the sandbags to form a wall. The idea was to increase the height of the levee to hold back the ever-rising river; other sandbags were used to reinforce places where the levee itself had begun to weaken from weeks of rain. For Doc Travers and his sons, climbing up the slope of the levee was hard work because the ground was saturated with water, and thick mud threatened to suck off their shoes. When they finally reached the top, Doc Travers paused and said, I m going to see what I can find out from Major Rushton over there. He s in charge of the National Guard. Don t you boys go too far! Yes, sir, the boys said in unison. From their vantage point, Jimmy and Jess could see that the water, already as high as the levee, was beginning to climb up the sandbag wall. The hundreds of men trying to save the levee created quite a din, but even all that commotion could not drown out the rush and roar of the river. 4

6 Look here, Jess, called Jimmy. That river s really moving! Hey, there goes someone s chicken coop. It doesn t look good, Jess replied. But look at this, little brother. He pointed to some men frantically dumping sandbags into a gap that had opened up along the levee wall. If more water starts coming through, the levee won t hold. After the Traverses left the levee and headed for home, Jimmy began asking questions, What ll happen, Dad, if the levee doesn t hold? Is Greenville going to flood? 5

7 Major Rushton said folks are more worried about the levee at Mounds Landing. It s looking pretty shaky, and if that goes, nothing ll keep the Mississippi inside its banks, answered his father. Mounds Landing was only 12 miles upstream, and Doc Travers knew that a levee break there would most certainly bring floodwaters to Greenville. Now listen, boys. We ve got some work to do. First thing, when we get home, we ve got to get everything up to the second floor. I know it s an annoyance, but it s better to be safe than sorry. We ll also need to make sure our boat is secured to the back porch. Our house is on pretty high ground, so we may not get flooded, but that boat is our means of escape if the floodwaters come. 6

8 We ll hear a fire whistle if the levee breaches anywhere around these parts, he continued, and Major Rushton told me that if it happens, they ll be setting up a field hospital on the levee. Assuming our house will be spared, I ve agreed to help out, but I ll want you boys to stay home and look out for your mother. Once back at home, the boys helped their parents move their belongings upstairs. Several hours later, the job was complete. The family gathered in the kitchen and had a quiet supper. Then they went to bed for an uneasy sleep. Early the next morning, the fire whistle blew and blew. Word came that the Mississippi had burst through the Mounds Landing levee. The opening was so broad that the water pouring through it looked like a huge waterfall. The river water was now rushing toward Greenville! The distraught townspeople began to evacuate. By the next day, the flood had overrun much of the city. Water filled the street in front of the Traverses house, and soon it was lapping at the bottom steps of their porch. Then the rise seemed to slacken, and so Doc Travers and Jess launched the boat and headed for the levee. Jess was to drop off his father and then return home. 7

9 What they saw on the way to the levee stunned them. The town was awash in the muddy, turbulent waters. Some homes and businesses were halfway submerged, while others apparently had been pulled off their foundations and were completely gone. At the levee they found more chaos, with hundreds of frightened delta folk huddled together in small groups. They carried bundles of the few belongings they had managed to save. Doc Travers went ashore and learned that many other residents were still stuck in their homes. He shared the news with Jess. Son, it s worse than I thought possible. Go home and check on your mother. If she s still all right, I want you and your brother to head out in the boat and look for folks who need help. Pick up as many as you can and bring them back here. But be extremely careful, OK? 8

10 Yes, sir, said Jess. His father turned and headed to the field hospital. When Jess got home, he saw that the water was halfway up the porch steps. He recounted Dad s instructions. Then Jess and Jimmy said goodbye to their mother, climbed into the boat, and began crisscrossing the flooded countryside, using power lines as a guide. I don t believe this, said Jimmy. Muddy, swirling water covered almost everything. At one point, the boys passed a house; moments later, they heard a loud crack and turned around just in time to see the house split apart. The river then demolished the walls until all that was left were broken boards floating along. Jess, watch out for that tree! called Jimmy. The branches of a huge oak suddenly rose up from the muddy water; then the tree rolled over in the current and disappeared again. A short while later, both boys gasped as the body of a dead cow bobbed in the water beside them. The current knocked it against their boat before it rolled over and floated away. 9

11 Despite the scenes of devastation, it was eerily calm as the boys continued their search. Zigzagging around branches, they spotted a cluster of houses with just their attics and roofs sticking out of the water. There s some kids yonder on that red roof, Jimmy pointed out. The two children, a boy and a girl, were waving frantically and calling for help. Jess turned the boat toward their house. As the boys got closer, they could hear what the children were yelling. It s our mama! She s got a new baby in there! screamed the girl, pointing to a window just below the roofline. Fighting the current, Jess managed to swing the boat alongside the roof. 10

12 What ll we do, Jess? Jimmy asked. I ll ease the boat up to the window and grab hold of the frame while you climb into the room and bring em out, Jess replied. For Jimmy, the saying was a lot easier than the doing, but he gingerly climbed through the window and went to the woman. She was lying on a bed in obvious pain; in her arms was a squalling newborn baby. Jimmy bent over her and said gently, I ll look after your baby, ma am. We need to get you both out of here. Though his hands felt clammy, Jimmy bundled the baby in a blanket from the bed, carefully lifted him up, and handed him out the window to Jess. He helped the woman to her feet and guided her out through the window. Then the two children on the roof scrambled down. Once everyone was safely in the boat, Jimmy allowed himself to think that their father would be proud. 11

13 Jess motored back to the levee, being careful to avoid submerged obstacles. When they arrived, they saw that parts of the levee were now underwater. What remained were long, muddy islands with thousands of refugees milling about. The boys put their passengers ashore near the hospital tent. Doc Travers was inside, busily attending to the injured. Jess and Jimmy gave a terse report on the rescue, and their father gave each boy a mighty hug. Then he told them to go back to check on their mother. Ann Travers greeted the boys warmly as they tied up the boat. After hearing about the rescue of the young family, she said with great pride, You are among the elite few who can truly be called heroes! A quick inspection revealed that the water had almost reached the front porch, but then had risen no further. The Traverses were among the fortunate whose homes had been spared. We ve got to get back out there, Momma, said Jess. People need help. Though reluctant to let them go, Ann knew that locating stranded people as soon as possible was critical to their survival. Be careful, you two! she called, as they climbed back into the boat. This time the boys headed in a different direction. As they moved away from town, Jimmy noticed that the 12

14 blanket at his feet was moving. He touched it carefully, afraid of what he might find. Hey, Jess, we ve got a stowaway! he cried, as a soggy, panting Moose leapt into Jimmy s lap. In the countryside, the homes were further apart, and the boys didn t see a living soul. The only sounds came from the swirling waters. The boys knew they were near the railroad tracks because they could see the tops of freight cars protruding from the water. Jess began moving the boat in ever-widening arcs, keeping the railroad cars in sight. Then Jimmy thought he heard a dog bark. Moose definitely heard it and answered. The boys headed toward the sound and came upon a mangy mutt floating along in a box. 13

15 As Jess pulled in close, Jimmy stood up and reached for the dog. Just then he heard a human cry for help. He whirled around, his sudden movement tipping the boat dangerously. In a flash, Moose splashed into the water. Moose! shrieked Jimmy. What are you doing? The only answer was the lapping of the water. Then the boys heard the human cry again. The boys were torn. Moose had never seemed to like the water. They had never seen him swim. Yet as much as they wanted to rescue their dog, they knew they had to investigate the cries for help first. So, swinging the boat around, Jess set out in that direction, motoring up to a shack where a woman and two small children waited on the roof. A man lay nearby, groaning with pain. A boy about Jimmy s age was with him. A tree branch hit my daddy while he was getting us out, the boy yelled, and it knocked my grandma into the water! The man had a deep gash on his leg. He needed medical help right away. What s your name? Jess asked the boy. Charley, he stammered. OK, Charley, don t you worry. I m Jess, and this is Jimmy. We ll get your daddy to a doctor then we ll find your grandma. Now give me a hand. 14

16 They got Charley s dad into the boat and made him as comfortable as possible. Then the others clambered aboard. Both Jess and Jimmy turned with an anguished look toward where they had lost Moose. Then Jess headed back for the levee, moving carefully so the overcrowded boat wouldn t tip. Jimmy called to Charley. Your daddy s lost a lot of blood. Take your shirt off, and I ll tie it tight around his leg. Then we ll cover him with that blanket. 15

17 The trip seemed to take forever, though it lasted less than an hour. Once at the levee, the boys tied up and summoned help. As Charley s daddy was being carried from the boat, he said to his son, You gotta go back and find your grandma, son. Promise me! Charley looked at Jess, who said, You stay here with your dad, Charley. We ll go find her. No. I m coming with you, Charley said with a determined look. As the boys backed away from the chaos at the landing, Jimmy noticed that Charley had begun to shiver uncontrollably. He took off his jacket and handed it to Charley. Best put this on so you don t catch your death of cold, he said. Jess led the other two back to the boat. Let s go find Charley s grandma, and Moose, too, he said, as Jimmy nodded in agreement. 16

18 The boys made Charley s house their starting point; they slowly worked their way downstream, checking out every tree and rooftop still above water. An hour later they still hadn t found any signs of the elderly lady, so they decided to change their strategy. Charley suggested just letting the boat drift with the flow of the river. After drifting further downstream, they came upon a group of shacks bobbing along. Jess maneuvered the boat between the structures. Then Jimmy saw something on one of the rooftops and told his brother to head in for a closer look. Suddenly Charley let out a whoop! His grandma was straddling the roof! Hearing Charley, she weakly raised her head. After they got Charley s grandma into the boat, Jimmy slumped back down on the seat. The realization that he might never see Moose again was sinking in. He wanted to keep looking, but Jess told him they needed to get Charley s grandma back to the levee. But if we don t find Moose, he won t survive! cried Jimmy. Jess considered the situation. Charley s grandma seemed weak, but claimed to be all right. 17

19 We ll head past Charley s place on the way back to the levee, said Jess. That s the best I can offer. Thanks, Jess, said Jimmy. On the way, they saw the freight cars again. All of a sudden, Jimmy rose and began gesturing wildly. Moose! It s Moose! Moose!! The boys heard an answering bark. Okay! said Jess. Let s grab that pooch. A few hours later, Charley and his family were safe on the levee, and the Travers family and Moose were reunited back at home. The boys were wet, dirty, and exhausted from their day of rescue. They knew that difficult times lay ahead, but they were glad to be home and very proud of all they had been able to do. 18

20 Responding TARGET SKILL Conclusions and Generalizations Think about what Jess and Jimmy did after the Mississippi River flooded. What conclusion can you draw about the brothers? Copy and complete the chart below. Detail Jess and Jimmy rescue a family with a new baby. Conclusion? Detail? Detail? Detail The brothers go out again to help other people. Write About It Text to Self Think about how the Travers family responded to the Great Flood of Do you agree with the generalization that helping others during a natural disaster is rewarding work? Write a few paragraphs explaining and supporting your opinion. 19

21 TARGET VOCABULARY annoyance bundle clammy commotion critical demolished elite realization secured squalling TARGET SKILL Conclusions and Generalizations Use details to explain ideas that aren t stated or are generally true. TARGET STRATEGY Infer/Predict Use text clues to figure out what the author means or what might happen in the future. GENRE Historical Fiction is a story whose characters and events are set in a real period of history. 20

22 Level: T DRA: 44 Genre: Historical Fiction Strategy: Infer/Predict Skill: Conclusions and Generalizations Word Count: 2, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books ISBN-13: ISBN-10: