. The smoke made his eyes smart. He knew that something was wrong,
so he began to bark.

But nobody heard him and nobody came. Then he ran into the dining-room
and barked, but nobody heard him and nobody came.

He went to the door of the hall which had been left open just a little.
Up the stairs, barking and barking, went Rover.

Farmer Hill heard him, and thought, "What is Rover barking for?" Mrs.
Hill heard him and said, "Something must be the matter. Let's go and
see." John heard him and jumped up and ran down stairs. Farmer Hill and
Mrs. Hill ran down stairs.

Then they smelled the smoke and saw the fire.

Mrs. Hill grabbed a pail of water and threw it on the fire.

Mr. Hill went to the cistern pump and pumped a pail of water and threw
it on the fire.

John ran out to the well and brought a pail of water and threw it on
the fire. Sue brought snow and put it on the fire.

All together they worked, and soon the fire stopped blazing and went
out.

"If it had not been for Rover, the house might have burned down," said
Farmer Hill.

"Rover is a good dog," said Mrs. Hill as she patted him.

"Good dog, good dog!" said John and Sue.

They gave Rover a nice warm blanket to lie on, and fixed the stove so
it could not draw so hard.

Then the family went back to sleep.

Rover lay down on the blanket, but he did not go to sleep.

All that night he kept watch.

[Illustration: PRINCE USES HIS EYES]

XV

One day in summer Farmer Hill said at breakfast, "I must go to the city
to-day. There are many things to do, but I'll be back before dark."

Then he hitched Prince to the carriage and started off along the road,
down a long hill, over the little bridge at the foot of it, along miles
of level road to the city.

All day he was going about his errands, while Prince stood in a stable
and ate his dinner and rested.

Toward night, just as Farmer Hill was going to start home, a thunder
storm came up. It thundered and lightened and rained and rained.

It rained so hard that the water ran in the street like a river.

Farmer Hill waited until the storm was over. By that time it was nearly
dark.

There were no street lamps along the road.

There was no moon in the sky.

There were no stars in the sky.

It became so dark that Farmer Hill could not see more than three feet
ahead.

"I shall have to let Prince see for me," said he.

Prince trotted along over the muddy road, now and then slowing up wh