r faces shining in the
brilliant light, and the leader was still emptying the buckets of water,
when Farmer Tallington ran up to him.

"Let me give you a rest now," he cried.

"Nay, neighbour, I'll go on."

The friendly altercation seemed to be about to result in a struggle for
the bucket, when Dick, who had been in one of the back rooms, came
running out of the house shouting:--

"The stable--the stable is on fire!"

This caused a rush in the direction of the long low-thatched building on
the other side of the house, one of a range about a yard.

There was no false alarm, for the thatch was blazing so furiously, that
at a glance the lookers-on saw that the stable and the cart lodge
adjoining were doomed.

"Did any one get out the horses?" roared Farmer Tallington.

There was no answer, and the farmer rushed on up to the burning building
through tiny patches of fire where the dry mouldering straw was set
alight by the falling flakes.

The squire followed him, and, seeing them enter the dark doorway, Dick
and Tom followed.

It was a long low building with room for a dozen horses; but only two
were there, standing right at the end, where they were haltered to the
rough mangers, and snorted and whinnied with fear.

Each man ran to the head of a horse, and cut the halters, lit by the
glow that came through a great hole burned in the thatched roof, from
which flakes of fire kept falling, while the smoke curled round and up
the walls and beneath the roof in a silent threatening way.

It was easy enough to unloose the trembling beasts; but that was all
that could be done, for the horses shivered and snorted, and refused to
stir.

Both shouted and dragged at the halters; but the poor beasts seemed to
be paralysed with fear; and as the moments glided by, the hole in the
roof was being eaten out larger and larger, the great flakes of burning
thatch falling faster, and a pile of blazing rafter and straw beginning
to cut off retreat from the burning place.

"It's of no use," cried Farmer Tallington, after trying coaxing, main
force, and then blows. "The roof will be down directly. Run, boys,
run!"

"You are coming too, father?" cried Tom.

"Yes, and you, father?" cried Dick.

"Yes, my lads; out with you!"

"Try once more, father," said Dick. "The poor old horses!"

"Yes, but run!" cried the squire. "I must run too. Off!"

There was a rush made through the burning mass fallen from the roof;
and, scorc