nd carried an airy bit of
ignited fern several yards forward, in a direction parallel to the
houses and inn, and there deposited it on the ground.

Five minutes later another puff of wind carried a similar piece to a
distance of five-and-twenty yards, where it also was dropped softly on
the ground.

Still the wind did not blow in the direction of the houses, and even now
to a casual observer they would have appeared safe. But Nature does few
things directly. A minute later yet, an ignited fragment fell upon the
straw covering of a long thatched heap or 'grave' of mangel-wurzel,
lying in a direction at right angles to the house, and down toward the
hedge. There the fragment faded to darkness.

A short time subsequent to this, after many intermediate deposits and
seemingly baffled attempts, another fragment fell on the mangel-wurzel
grave, and continued to glow; the glow was increased by the wind; the
straw caught fire and burst into flame. It was inevitable that the flame
should run along the ridge of the thatch towards a piggery at the end.
Yet had the piggery been tiled, the time-honoured hostel would even now
at this last moment have been safe; but it was constructed as piggeries
are mostly constructed, of wood and thatch. The hurdles and straw roof
of the frail erection became ignited in their turn, and abutting as the
shed did on the back of the inn, flamed up to the eaves of the main roof
in less than thirty seconds.

3. HALF-PAST ELEVEN TO TWELVE P.M.

A hazardous length of time elapsed before the inmates of the Three
Tranters knew of their danger. When at length the discovery was made,
the rush was a rush for bare life.

A man's voice calling, then screams, then loud stamping and shouts were
heard.

Mr. Springrove ran out first. Two minutes later appeared the ostler and
chambermaid, who were man and wife. The inn, as has been stated, was a
quaint old building, and as inflammable as a bee-hive; it overhung the
base at the level of the first floor, and again overhung at the eaves,
which were finished with heavy oak barge-boards; every atom in its
substance, every feature in its construction, favoured the fire.

The forked flames, lurid and smoky, became nearly lost to view, bursting
forth again with a bound and loud crackle, increased tenfold in power
and brightness. The crackling grew sharper. Long quivering shadows began
to be flung from the stately trees at the end of the house; the square
outline of t