Floodtime

Now, on the way, he came to a big, rushing river, which neither he nor his army could cross, for it was flood-time and the water was full of dangerous whirlpools, where nixies and water wraiths lived, always ready to drown men.

In good seasons the stream must have been a fair little river, and during flood time it had spread all over the flat.

The storm that raged in him to-night could not uproot this hatred, the mightiest tree in all John’s country, all that remained to-night, in this, John’s floodtime.

Each year, the river brought its deposit of rich, red silt at floodtime. When the flood receded, the Mohave planted his corn, his squash and beans.