The half-burned roof of the farm-house, the three smoking heaps where the three stacks had stood, and the stable roofless and blackened, while the place all about the house was muddy with the water and trampling.
"Yes," said Farmer Tallington ruefully, "it'll tak' some time to set all this straight; but I've got my house safe, so mustn't complain." "Yes; might have been worse," said the squire quietly.
"Ay, neighbour, I began to think at one time," said Farmer Tallington, "that it was going to be very much worse, and that I was going to have to bear sad news across to the Toft; but we're spared that, squire, and I'm truly thankful.

Feel better ?" "Better! oh yes, I am not hurt!" Just then Dick asked a question: "I say, Mr Tallington, wasn't it strange that you didn't know of the fire till I came ?" "I suppose we were all too soundly asleep, my lad.

Lucky you saw it, or we might have been burned to death." "But how did the place catch fire ?" "Ah!" said Farmer Tallington, "that's just what I should like to know .-- Were you out there last night, Tom ?" he added after a pause.
"No, father, I wasn't near the stacks yesterday." "Had you been round there at all ?" said the squire.
"No, not for a day or two, neighbour.

It's a puzzler." "It is very strange!" said the squire thoughtfully; and he and Farmer Tallington looked hard at each other.

"You have had no quarrel with your men ?" "Quarrel! No.