hed and half-blind, they reached the door half-blocked by the
anxious men.

"Safe!" cried the farmer. "Here: where's squire?"

As the words left his mouth there was a fierce snorting and trampling,
and those at the door had only just time to draw back, as the two horses
dashed frantically out, and then tore off at full gallop across the
yard.

"Winthorpe!" cried Farmer Tallington. "This way!"

"Father!" cried Dick in an agonised voice, following the farmer into the
burning building; but only to be literally carried out by his companion,
as they were driven back by a tremendous gush of burning thatch and wood
which roared out of the great doorway consequent upon a mass of the roof
falling in.

As soon as he could recover himself, Dick turned to rush in again; but
he was checked by Hickathrift.

"Stand back, bairn! art mad?" he cried. "Not that way."

Dick staggered away, and nearly fell from the tremendous thrust given to
him by the big wheelwright, and as he regained his equilibrium, it was
to see Hickathrift with something flashing in his hand, making for the
other end of the stable, which was as yet untouched.

A few blows from the axe he carried made the rough mud wall collapse,
and, without a moment's hesitation Hickathrift forced his way through
the hole he had broken, and from which a great volume of smoke began to
curl.

Dick would have followed; but Tom clung to his arm, and before he could
get free, during what seemed to be a terribly long period of suspense,
the wheelwright appeared again, and staggered out, bearing the
insensible body of the squire.

For a few minutes there was a terrible silence, and Hickathrift tottered
from the man he had left where he had dragged him on the ground.

For the wheelwright was blinded and half strangled by the smoke, and
reeled like a drunken man.

He recovered though, directly, and seized a bucket of water from one of
the men. With this he liberally dashed the squire's face, as Dick knelt
beside him in speechless agony, and grasped his hand.

For a few minutes there was no sign. Then the prostrate man uttered a
low sigh, and opened his eyes.

"Dick!" he said, as he struggled up.

"Yes, father. Are you much hurt?"

"No, only--nearly--suffocated, my boy; but--but--Oh, I remember! The
horses?"

"They're safe, neighbour," cried Farmer Tallington, taking his hand.

"Mind the knife!" cried the squire. "I remember now. I was obliged to
be very bruta