There was a big flood near our house in spring. The water came down from the mountain and the hills, the river came up and up, and a lot of the houses on the low land were soon under the water. The Red Cross sent some men, and they brought food and dry clothes, and took some people to higher ground in boats. One old man lives in a small house near our river. He is a poor man, and there aren't any other houses near his. There was a lot of rain one night, and in the morning the old man looked out of his window and saw the flood. The water was nearly up to his bedroom window. The water came up and up, and the old man went to the top floor of his house. Then the flood was worse, and he went up on to the roof. "What am I going to do?" he said. "The water's very deep, and I can't swim." But after three hours the old man saw a boat. It came slowly near, and the old man saw two young men in it. "We've come from the Red Cross," one of the young men called, "and . . ." "I'm sorry," the old man answered, "but I've just given you some money this month, and I haven't got much. I'm a poor man."