Then the prostrate man uttered a low sigh, and opened his eyes.
"Dick!" he said, as he struggled up.
"Yes, father.

Are you much hurt ?" "No, only--nearly--suffocated, my boy; but--but--Oh, I remember! The horses ?" "They're safe, neighbour," cried Farmer Tallington, taking his hand.
"Mind the knife!" cried the squire.

"I remember now.

I was obliged to be very brutal to them to make them stir." He looked down at the small blade of the pocket-knife he held, closed it with a snap, and then stared about him at the people in a vacant confused way.
Several of the men, led by Hickathrift, began to carry pails of water to the burning stable, and this building being so low, they were not long in extinguishing the flames.
Hardly had they succeeded in this before the shrieks of the women gathered together in a low shed drew their attention to the fact that the roof of the house was once more blazing, and this seemed to rouse the squire again to action, for, in spite of Hickathrift wanting to take his place, he insisted upon re-climbing the ladder when the buckets of water were once more passed along till all further danger had ceased, and the farm-house escaped with one room seriously damaged and one side of the thatched roof burned away.
The men still plied the buckets on the burning stacks, but only with the idea of keeping the flames within bounds, for there was nothing else to be done.

One rick was completely destroyed; the others were fiery cores, which glowed in the darkness, and at every puff of wind sent up a cloud of glittering, golden sparks, whose course had to be watched lest a fresh fire should be started.
And now the excitement and confusion died out as the fire sank lower.
The women returned to the house, and the men, under the farmer's direction, carried back the household treasures, while Mrs Tallington, with the common sense of an old-fashioned farmer's wife, spread a good breakfast in the kitchen for the refreshment of all.
It was a desolate scene at daybreak upon which all gazed.