Just as Vane shivered at the cry, and ran to hurry on some clothes,
there was the shape of the door clearly made out in lines of light, and
directly after a sharp tapping.
"Vane, my boy, asleep?"
"No, uncle; dressing."
"You heard the bell, then. I'm afraid it means fire."
"Yes, fire, fire! I heard them calling."
"I can't see anything, can you?"
"No, uncle, but I shall be dressed directly, and will go and find out
where it is?"
"O hey! Master Vane!" came from the outside. "Fire!"
It was the gardener's voice, and the lad ran to the window.
"Yes, I heard. Where is it?"
"Don't know yet, sir. Think it's the rectory."
"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" came from Vane's door. "Hi, Vane, lad, I'll dress
as quickly as I can. You run on and see if you can help. Whatever you
do, try and save the rector's books."
Vane grunted and went on dressing, finding everything wrong in the dark,
and taking twice as long as usual to get into his clothes.
As he dressed, he kept on going to the window to look out, but not to
obtain any information, for the gardener had run back at a steady trot,
his steps sounding clearly on the hard road, while the bell kept up its
incessant clamour, the blows of the clapper following one another
rapidly as ever, and with the greatest of regularity. But thrust his
head out as far as he would, there was no glare visible, as there had
been the year before when the haystack was either set on fire or ignited
spontaneously from being built up too wet. Then the whole of the
western sky was illumined by the flames, and patches of burning hay rose
in great flakes high in air, and were swept away by the breeze.
"Dressed, uncle. Going down," cried Vane, as he walked into the
passage.
"Shan't be five minutes, my boy."
"Take care, Vane, dear," came in smothered and suggestive tones. "Don't
go too near the fire."
"All right, aunt," shouted the boy, as he ran downstairs, and, catching
up his cap, unfastened the front door, stepped out, ran down the path,
darted out from the gate, and began to run toward where the alarm bell
was being rung.
It was no great distance, but, in spite of his speed, it seemed to be
long that night; and, as Vane ran, looking eagerly the while for the
glow from the fire, he came to the conclusion that the brilliancy of the
moon was sufficient to render it invisible, and that perhaps the blaze
was yet only small.
"Hi! Who's that?" cried a voice, whose owner was invisible in the
shadow cast by a clump of trees.
"I--Vane Lee. Is the rectory on fire, Distin?"
"I've just come out of it, and didn't see any flames," said the youth
contemptuously.
"Here, hi! Distie!" came from the side-road leading to the rectory
grounds. "Wait for us. Who's that? Oh, you, Vane. What's the
matter?"
"I don't know," replied Vane. "I jumped out of bed when I heard the
alarm bell."
"So did we, and here's Aleck got his trousers on wrong way first."
"I haven't," shouted Macey; "but that's my hat you've got."
As he spoke, he snatched the hat Gilmore was wearing, and tossed the one
he held toward his companion.
"Are you fellows coming?" said Distin, coldly.
"Of course we are," cried Macey. "Come on, lads; let's go and help them
get out the town squirt."