d blaze began to subside, and in a short time all that
was left was a pile of glowing ashes. Tom and his friends ceased their
efforts, and withdrew to the cooler area near the barn, that had been
half emptied of their contents before it was certain that they would not
go up in flames and smoke.

"Well, that's over," remarked Jack, as he stood his pitchfork up against
the building, "and I'm glad of it."

"So am I," declared Bert.

"And you're a mighty lucky man, Mr. Appleby," said one of his neighbors,
"that you have any out-buildings left."

"But look at the hay that's burned!" whined the farmer. "Nigh on to
three tons of it gone, an' the rest spiled by smoke, I reckon."

"But you're lucky just the same," insisted another neighbor who had come
over to help fight the blaze. "If it hadn't been for these school boys,
and that one in particular who had the gumption to think of scattering
the hay, you'd be many thousands of dollars poorer than you are now.
What's a few tons of hay compared to that?"

"Of course!" came a murmur from several other farmers.

"Humph!" almost sneered Mr. Appleby. "Them school fellers! Maybe they
know more about this fire than they're lettin' on!"

"What's that?" cried Tom, who overheard the words. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothin'--at least not yet, until I've looked around a bit," replied
Mr. Appleby. "You needn't be so touchy. Ain't I seen you before,
somewhere?" he asked, peering into Tom's face by the dying glow of the
fire.

"You have," answered our hero calmly. "I had the pleasure of paying you
ten dollars for some corn you said we spoiled the night we were lost on
the cross-country run, and you refused to direct us to the right road."

"Humph! I thought I recognized you," and the farmer turned away without
so much as a word of thanks to Tom and his chums.

"Keep the change," called Tom after him. "Next time you have a fire send
for us!"

"The old grouch!" gasped Jack. "Isn't he the limit?"

"And then some more," added Bert. "Come on back to bed. I smell like a
smoked ham I imagine."

"We all do," agreed Jack. "But I wonder what old Appleby was driving at
when he said some of our lads might know more about this fire than they
were saying?"

"Oh, just talk I imagine," said Tom quickly. "He hedged when I tried to
corner him. He's so excited he doesn't know what he is saying. Come on;
let's go back."

They filed out of the still smoky farmyard and made th