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Lateronintheeveningatraveler'shorsewasbroughtinbythesecondhostler,andwhilehewascleaninghimayoungmanwithapipeinhismouthloungedintothestabletogossip.
"Isay,Towler,"saidthehostler,"justrunuptheladderintotheloftandputsomehaydownintothishorse'srack,willyou?onlylaydownyourpipe."
"Allright,"saidtheother,andwentupthroughthetrapdoor;andIheardhimstepacrosstheflooroverheadandputdownthehay.
Jamescameintolookatusthelastthing,andthenthedoorwaslocked.
IcannotsayhowlongIhadslept,norwhattimeinthenightitwas,butIwokeupveryuncomfortable,thoughIhardlyknewwhy.
Igotup;theairseemedallthickandchoking.
IheardGingercoughingandoneoftheotherhorsesseemedveryrestless;itwasquitedark,andIcouldseenothing,butthestableseemedfullofsmoke,andIhardlyknewhowtobreathe.
Thetrapdoorhadbeenleftopen,andIthoughtthatwastheplaceitcamethrough.
Ilistened,andheardasoftrushingsortofnoiseandalowcracklingandsnapping.
Ididnotknowwhatitwas,buttherewassomethinginthesoundsostrangethatitmademetrembleallover.
Theotherhorseswereallawake;somewerepullingattheirhalters,othersstamping.
AtlastIheardstepsoutside,andthehostlerwhohadputupthetraveler'shorseburstintothestablewithalantern,andbegantountiethehorses,andtrytoleadthemout;butheseemedinsuchahurryandsofrightenedhimselfthathefrightenedmestillmore.
Thefirsthorsewouldnotgowithhim;hetriedthesecondandthird,andtheytoowouldnotstir.
Hecametomenextandtriedtodragmeoutofthestallbyforce;ofcoursethatwasnouse.
Hetriedusallbyturnsandthenleftthestable.
Nodoubtwewereveryfoolish,butdangerseemedtobeallround,andtherewasnobodyweknewtotrustin,andallwasstrangeanduncertain.
Thefreshairthathadcomeinthroughtheopendoormadeiteasiertobreathe,buttherushingsoundoverheadgrewlouder,andasIlookedupwardthroughthebarsofmyemptyrackIsawaredlightflickeringonthewall.ThenIheardacryof"Fire!"
outside,andtheoldhostlerquietlyandquicklycamein;hegotonehorseout,andwenttoanother,buttheflameswereplayingroundthetrapdoor,andtheroaringoverheadwasdreadful.
ThenextthingIheardwasJames'voice,quietandcheery,asitalwayswas.
"Come,mybeauties,itistimeforustobeoff,sowakeupandcomealong."Istoodnearestthedoor,sohecametomefirst,pattingmeashecamein.
"Come,Beauty,onwithyourbridle,myboy,we'llsoonbeoutofthissmother."
Itwasoninnotime;thenhetookthescarfoffhisneck,andtieditlightlyovermyeyes,andpattingandcoaxingheledmeoutofthestable.
Safeintheyard,heslippedthescarfoffmyeyes,andshouted,"Heresomebody!
takethishorsewhileIgobackfortheother."
Atall,broadmansteppedforwardandtookme,andJamesdartedbackintothestable.
IsetupashrillwhinnyasIsawhimgo.
GingertoldmeafterwardthatwhinnywasthebestthingIcouldhavedoneforher,forhadshenotheardmeoutsideshewouldneverhavehadcouragetocomeout.
Therewasmuchconfusionintheyard;thehorsesbeinggotoutofotherstables,andthecarriagesandgigsbeingpulledoutofhousesandsheds,lesttheflamesshouldspreadfurther.
Ontheothersidetheyardwindowswerethrownup,andpeoplewereshoutingallsortsofthings;butIkeptmyeyefixedonthestabledoor,wherethesmokepouredoutthickerthanever,andIcouldseeflashesofredlight;presentlyIheardaboveallthestiranddinaloud,clearvoice,whichIknewwasmaster's:
"JamesHoward!JamesHoward!Areyouthere?"
Therewasnoanswer,butIheardacrashofsomethingfallinginthestable,andthenextmomentIgavealoud,joyfulneigh,forIsawJamescomingthroughthesmokeleadingGingerwithhim;shewascoughingviolently,andhewasnotabletospeak.
"Mybravelad!"saidmaster,layinghishandonhisshoulder,"areyouhurt?"
Jamesshookhishead,forhecouldnotyetspeak.
"Ay,"saidthebigmanwhoheldme;"heisabravelad,andnomistake."
"Andnow,"saidmaster,"whenyouhavegotyourbreath,James,we'llgetoutofthisplaceasquicklyaswecan,"andweweremovingtowardtheentry,whenfromthemarket-placetherecameasoundofgallopingfeetandloudrumblingwheels.
"'Tisthefire-engine!thefire-engine!"
shoutedtwoorthreevoices,"standback,makeway!"
andclatteringandthunderingoverthestonestwohorsesdashedintotheyardwithaheavyenginebehindthem.
Thefiremenleapedtotheground;therewasnoneedtoaskwherethefirewas—itwasrollingupinagreatblazefromtheroof.
Wegotoutasfastaswecouldintothebroadquietmarket-place;thestarswereshining,andexceptthenoisebehindus,allwasstill.
Masterledthewaytoalargehotelontheotherside,andassoonasthehostlercame,hesaid,"James,Imustnowhastentoyourmistress;Itrustthehorsesentirelytoyou,orderwhateveryouthinkisneeded,"andwiththathewasgone.
Themasterdidnotrun,butIneversawmortalmanwalksofastashedidthatnight.
Therewasadreadfulsoundbeforewegotintoourstalls—theshrieksofthosepoorhorsesthatwereleftburningtodeathinthestable—itwasveryterrible!
andmadebothGingerandmefeelverybad.
We,however,weretakeninandwelldoneby.
ThenextmorningthemastercametoseehowwewereandtospeaktoJames.
Ididnothearmuch,forthehostlerwasrubbingmedown,butIcouldseethatJameslookedveryhappy,andIthoughtthemasterwasproudofhim.
Ourmistresshadbeensomuchalarmedinthenightthatthejourneywasputofftilltheafternoon,soJameshadthemorningonhand,andwentfirsttotheinntoseeaboutourharnessandthecarriage,andthentohearmoreaboutthefire.
Whenhecamebackweheardhimtellthehostleraboutit.
Atfirstnoonecouldguesshowthefirehadbeencaused,butatlastamansaidhesawDickTowlergointothestablewithapipeinhismouth,andwhenhecameouthehadnotone,andwenttothetapforanother.
ThentheunderhostlersaidhehadaskedDicktogouptheladdertoputdownsomehay,buttoldhimtolaydownhispipefirst.
Dickdeniedtakingthepipewithhim,butnoonebelievedhim.
IrememberourJohnManly'srule,nevertoallowapipeinthestable,andthoughtitoughttobetheruleeverywhere.
Jamessaidtheroofandfloorhadallfallenin,andthatonlytheblackwallswerestanding;thetwopoorhorsesthatcouldnotbegotoutwereburiedundertheburntraftersandtiles.
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