he hose was too short to
reach the upper part of the roof, he was on the roof in a jiffy with two
pails of water, and quenched the most dangerous flames before much harm
was done. This he kept up till the chimney burned itself out, while Ben
dodged about among the gables with a watering-pot, lest some stray
sparks should be overlooked and break out afresh.

While they worked there, Betty ran to and fro with a dipper of water
trying to help, and Sancho barked violently, as if he objected to this
sort of illumination. But where was Bab, who reveled in flurries? No one
missed her till the fire was out, and the tired, sooty people met to
talk over the danger just escaped.

"Poor Miss Celia wouldn't have had a roof over her head if it hadn't
been for you, Mr. Brown," said Mrs. Moss, sinking into a kitchen chair,
pale with the excitement.

"It would have burnt lively, but I guess it's all right now. Keep an eye
on the roof, Ben, and I'll step up garret and see if all's safe there.
Didn't you know that chimney was foul, ma'am?" asked the man, as he
wiped the perspiration off his grimy face.

"Ronda said it was, and I'm surprised she made a fire there," began Mrs.
Moss, looking at the maid, who just then came in with a pan full of
soot.

"Bless you, ma'am, I never thought of such a thing, nor Katy neither.
That naughty Bab must have done it, and so don't dar'st to show
herself," answered the irate Ronda, whose nice room was in a mess.

"Where is the child?" asked her mother, and a hunt was immediately
instituted by Betty and Sancho, while the elders cleared up.

Anxious Betty searched high and low, called and cried, but all in vain,
and was about to sit down in despair, when Sancho made a bolt into his
new kennel and brought out a shoe with a foot in it, while a doleful
squeal came from the straw within.

"Oh, Bab, how could you do it? Ma was frightened dreadfully," said
Betty, gently tugging at the striped leg, as Sancho poked his head in
for another shoe.

"Is it _all_ burnt up!" demanded a smothered voice from the recesses of
the kennel.

"Only pieces of the roof. Ben and his father put it out, and _I_
helped," answered Betty, cheering up a little as she recalled her noble
exertions.

"What do they do to folks who set houses afire?" asked the voice again.

"I don't know; but you needn't be afraid; there isn't much harm done, I
guess, and Miss Celia will forgive you, she's so good."

"Thorny wont; he calls me