Pagina 28 de 416

From the first it was apparent that the place was doomed, for

although there were plenty of men eager to form a bucket brigade,

the supply of water was limited, and most of the buckets were at

the larger fire.

But the squire was working wonders, and enlisted Code to help

him.

In fifteen minutes the whole roof and attic were ablaze, and the

men turned their attention to wetting down the near walls of the

houses on each side. All the valuables and most of the simple

furniture had been saved.

At the earliest moment Schofield escaped from the squire and

sought out Nellie. He found her, hysterical, surrounded by a

group of women, and hovered over by Nat Burns. With each hand she

held a child close to her.

"Bige! Where is little Bige?" she was crying as Code came up.

"Tom and Mary are here, but I've lost Bige. Oh, Nat! Where is

Bige?"