.

"I say, Towler," said the hostler, "just run up the ladder into the loft
and put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay down
your pipe."

"All right," said the other, and went up through the trapdoor; and I
heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay. James
came in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked.

I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was,
but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;
the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing and one
of the other horses seemed very restless; it was quite dark, and I could
see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke, and I hardly knew how
to breathe.

The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place it
came through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise and a
low crackling and snapping. I did not know what it was, but there was
something in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over. The
other horses were all awake; some were pulling at their halters, others
stamping.

At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up the
traveler's horse burst into the stable with a lantern, and began to
untie the horses, and try to lead them out; but he seemed in such a
hurry and so frightened himself that he frightened me still more. The
first horse would not go with him; he tried the second and third, and
they too would not stir. He came to me next and tried to drag me out of
the stall by force; of course that was no use. He tried us all by turns
and then left the stable.

No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to be all round, and
there was nobody we knew to trust in, and all was strange and uncertain.
The fresh air that had come in through the open door made it easier to
breathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder, and as I looked
upward through the bars of my empty rack I saw a red light flickering
on the wall. Then I heard a cry of "Fire!" outside, and the old hostler
quietly and quickly came in; he got one horse out, and went to another,
but the flames were playing round the trapdoor, and the roaring overhead
was dreadful.

The next thing I heard was James' voice, quiet and cheery, as it always
was.

"Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so wake up and come
along." I stood nearest the door, so he came to me first, patting me as
he came in.

"Come, Beauty, on wit