o go. Ahoy!"

"Ahoy!" came back in a stentorian shout, and something was thrown upon
the fire which dulled it for the moment, but only for it to flash up in
a tremendous blaze, with the sparks and flames of fire rushing towards
them.

"Ahoy!" came the shout again.

"Ahoy!" answered Dick.

"That will do, my boy," panted the squire. "The water's getting
horribly deep, but I can manage now, for I can tell which way to go."

"Little more to the left, father," cried Dick.

"Right, boy!"

"No, no, father," shrieked Dick; "left!"

"I meant you are right, my lad," said the squire, moving on, with the
water growing deeper still, while the stentorian voice kept uttering
cheering shouts to them, which they answered till they were only about
fifty yards away, when it became plain that someone was coming to meet
them, splash, splash, through the water, with a pole in his hand.

The figure, though only head and half his body were visible above the
plashing water, looked large, and for a few moments in his confusion
Dick was puzzled; but he realised who it was at last, and cried:

"Why, it's old Hicky!"

He was right; and just in the veriest time of need the great blacksmith
reached the fainting squire, and grasping his arm breasted the water
with him; and in another minute they were ascending the slope, with the
water shallowing, till they reached a blazing fire, where Mrs Winthorpe
clasped husband and son to her breast!

"All right, wife!" cried the squire. "Glad you are here, Hickathrift!
All your people too?"

"Yes, squire, all safe here; but we're uneasy like about Dave o' the
'Coy and John Warren."

"But they've got the boat," cried Dick.

"Yes; I hope they're safe," said the squire. "Hickathrift, my lad, that
was a brave thought of yours to light that fire. It saved our lives."

"Nay, squire," said the big fellow; "it was no thowt o' mine--it was thy
missus put it into my yead."

The squire gave his wife a look as she stood there in the midst of a
group of shivering farm-servants, and then turned to the wheelwright.

"The boat," he said--"did you come in the boat?"

"Ay, squire. She leaks a deal, but I thrust an owd pillow in the hole.
But I nigh upon lost her. My Grip woke me howling, for we were abed. I
jumped out and ran down, thinking it was the foxes after the chickens,
and walked right into the water. I knowed what it meant, and got over
to the saw-pit, and just caught hold of the boat in