Summoned by his outcry, the girls formed a bucket brigade from the well to the kitchen door, while Shad, his mouth bound around in a drenched Turkish towel, fought the blaze single handed.
Mrs.Gorham made straight for the telephone, calling up the Judge, and two or three of the nearest neighbors for help.

The Peckham boys from the sawmill were the first to respond, and five minutes later Hiram was on the spot, having seen the rising smoke and flare in the sky from Maple Lawn.
"You'll never save the place," old Mr.Peckham told them flatly.

"The well's low and everything is dry as tinder.

Better start carrying things out, girls, because the best we men-folks can do is to keep the roofs wet down and try to save the barn." While the fire was confined to the "ell" kitchen, the two older Peckham boys set to work up-stairs, under Jean's direction.

Kit had made for her father's room the first thing.