hts again. You all had better go home as fast as you
can, and get to bed."

"Is all quite safe, do you think, Malachi?" said Mr Campbell.

"Yes, sir, no fear now; the fire hasn't passed the stream, and even if
it had, this rain would put it out, for we only have the beginning of
it; but it was a near thing, that's sartain."

The party walked back to the house, and as soon as they had entered, Mr
Campbell kneeled down and thanked Heaven for their miraculous
preservation. All joined heartily in the prayer, and, after they had
waited up a few minutes, by which time they were satisfied that the
flames were fast extinguishing and they had nothing more to fear, they
took off their wet clothes and retired to bed.

The next morning they rose early, for all were anxious to ascertain the
mischief which had been occasioned by the fire. The cow-house, on the
opposite side of the stream, was the only part of the premises which had
severely suffered; the walls were standing, but the roof was burnt. On
the side of the stream where the house stood, the rails and many
portions were actually charred, and had it not been for the providential
change of the wind and the falling of the rain, must in a few minutes
have been destroyed. The prairie was covered with cinders, and the
grass was burnt and withered.

The forest on the other side of the stream, to a great extent, was burnt
down; some of the largest trees still remained, throwing out their
blackened arms, now leafless and branchless, to the sky, but they were
never to throw forth a branch or leaf again. It was a melancholy and
desolate picture, and rendered still more so by the heavy rain which
still continued to pour down without intermission.

As they were surveying the scene, Malachi and Martin came to them.

"The stock are all right, sir," said Martin; "I counted them, and there
is not one missing. There's no harm done except to the cow-house; on
the contrary, the fire has proved a good friend to us."

"How so, Martin?" asked Mr Campbell.

"Because it has cleared many acres of ground, and saved us much labour.
All on the other side of the stream is now cleared away, and next spring
we will have our corn between the stumps; and in autumn, after we have
gathered in the harvest, we will cut down and burn the trees which are
now standing. It has done a deal of good to the prairie also, we shall
have fine herbage there next spring."

"We have to thank heaven for its