Part 10 (1/2)
”Thank goodness we are out!” panted the boy, as they brought the wagon to a standstill in the es ”Another minute in there would just about have settled erous,” returned Andy, with a serious shake of his head, as he tied his handkerchief over his burned neck ”Hark!
what is that?”
His words were called forth by a dull boom, which made the soft dirt in the alley quake
”The upper flooring has come down!” shouted several in the crowd
”They won't be able to get any more stuff out now!”
”We were just in ti we had been in there when that flooring, with all the burning hay and those sleighs that were stored there, caht to be very thankful, not only for that, but for being able to save our wagon and our horse If they had been burned up ould have been next door to beggars!”
”By the here is Billy?” cried Matt ”I don't see him anywhere around”
”I'on and I'll hunt him up,” replied Matt; and he started off without further delay
The alleyway had now become so choked up with vehicles, horses, and people that it ith great difficulty that he fought his way through the dense mass out to the next street Once here, he looked up and down for the horse, but could see nothing of hi of a brown and white horse around here?” he asked of a stable-hand standing near
”Yes; just saw hiallop up the street,” was the reply ”You had better jump on a horse-car if you want to catch hiht, then?”
”Yes; he must be halfway up to Harlem by this time”
Matt waited to hear nobound north He took a position on the front platforht of the animal in which he owned a half-interest
Ten blocks had been passed, and the boy was beginning to grow anxious, when, chancing to look over the fence of a s tied to a post A second look convinced hi car and hurried toward the place
”Well, sir, what can I do for you?” asked the blacksmith, a tall, heavy-set fellow, as he left his bellohere he had been blowing up the fire
”I'll take my horse, please,” returned Matt
”Your horse? Which horse is that?”
”The runaway you just caught”
”I haven't any runaway,” returned the blacksmith boldly
”What?” cried the boy in amazement ”Why, of course you have He is tied to the post in the yard”
”No runaway here”
”I mean the brown and white horse”
”That horse was just left here to be shod”