in a state of despair; but he reflected that
the misfortune might have been of a far more serious nature, and then
set to work busier than ever.

By twelve o'clock the engine had gone back to the town, the fire being
completely extinct; and then there were arrangements to make for the
horses, pigs, cows, and poultry, all of which required immediate
attention; for, although Mr Inglis kept a manager or bailiff to attend
to his farm, yet, in such a case of emergency as the present, he found
plenty to call for his own aid.

About three o'clock the boys made their appearance again, well refreshed
with the five or six hours' sleep they had taken; but the whole place
looked so desolate and miserable, that they very soon scampered off into
the garden, to amuse themselves with a few strawberries and
gooseberries. When they had had enough fruit, they took some into the
green-house for the parrot, who made a noise like the smacking of lips
upon being shown the strawberries, which she seemed to enjoy
wonderfully; while as for the gooseberries, they were capital amusement,
for she picked the seeds out of the pulp one at a time, and then danced
up and down as though in ecstasy.

But they were soon tired of playing with Poll, and betook themselves to
the yard to tease the old raven; but he was not in a mood to be teased,
so showed fight, and pecked viciously at every one who came near him,
till at last, feeling that might would eventually overcome right, and
the boys prove too much for him, he took to his old place of refuge, the
horse-chestnut tree, where he sat and barked and laughed at his late
aggressors.

They next turned their attention to Dick, who had not had a run since
the day when he had his eye cut by the stone thrown by Bill Jenkins's
party. The cut was healed up; and very soon Dick was capering round the
yard in fine style, but somehow or other his capers did not give
satisfaction to his masters; they wanted something new, and they could
find nothing fresh to amuse them, till all at once the yard gate opened,
and a lad appeared with a letter in his hand.

"Wow--wow--wuff," said Dick, making at the intruder open-mouthed, but
the new-comer was too quick for the dog, for he darted back, and shut
the gate in his face.

Back darted Dick, and out at the door at the other end, and then round
by the shrubbery.

Harry and Philip both tried to open the gate, but the new-comer--whom
they had recognised as Fred's late ad