Part 3 (1/2)

Whether the horse understood, or whether the boy's words calmed him, could not be told Certainly he did julance back at the fla closer and closer

The other animals followed in an instant, for they had wanted only a leader Above the roar of the flames Bert could hear the thud as the horses landed in the soft muck of the cow-yard, ten feet below Then came a shout as the men rushed forward to secure the double doors He could see the horses floundering around One had fallen down, but none of them seemed to be injured The valuable steeds had been saved by the lad's ready wit

”I wonder if there's anything more we can save?” asked Vincent

”Let's see if we can't shove out the ested Bert

”If it falls in the ed much”

The two boys shoved the apparatus to the opened doors Another shove and it toppled over and out It landed safely, as they learned later

”Coht as well save theested Bert ”The fall won't hurt them, and the men can roll them out of the way before the flaed to save several bales, all they could reach; and they also rolled out a carriage, which, as it had the bales to topple out on, falling only a short distance, was very little daed

”That's the stuff, boys!” called Constable Stickler, ith a crowd of others was in the cowyard, res as the boys pushed or tossed out, for they found many small objects they could save

”There isn't etting pretty hot here Guess we'll have to leave, now”

He and Vincent turned to descend the inner stairs, by which they had entered As they did so there was a crash, and the forward part of the roof fell in An instant later the stairas buried put of sight under a et out that way!” cried Vincent ”We're caught in a trap!”

”The big doors!” replied Bert ”We can jump out, just like the horses did”

”That's so! Couess the mud won't hurt us!” They turned to that side of the barn, but to their horror they saw a strea, as a cataract of water flows over the edge of a fall To escape they would have to juh the flames

CHAPTER III

TALKING IT OVER

What had happened was this There was loose hay and straw in the upper part of the barn The fla the roof, had burned into this, until the whole mass was ablaze

Then, as the upper part of the side of the barn, above the big open doors, was burned through, the burning hay and straw began falling into the cowyard Right down it fell, like a cataract of fire

It made a pile in the muck of the cow-yard, whence thee, and re wisps were extinguished, as the cow-yard et, but, as rew a pile of blazing hot embers But, worse than all, was the curtain of fire that shut off escape by the big doors

”What are we going to do?” asked Vincent, his face white with fear

”We are up against it,” replied Bert, speaking more calmly than would have been possible for most lads But Herbert Dare was unusually cool-headed, a fact which later stood hiested Vincent

It needed but a look at them to show that they were almost burned away