' said Eliza; 'but I'm afraid its doom is
written on high.'

[Illustration: 'We consented to carry the unfortunate bed-woman to
it.'--Page 76]

'Rubbish!' said Oswald kindly; and we flew back, us boys dragging Eliza
with us.

There didn't seem to be much furniture in the house, but when we began
to move it, it at once seemed to multiply itself with the rapidity of
compound interest. We got all the clothes out first, in drawers and
clothes-baskets, and tied up in sheets. Eliza wasn't much use. The only
thing she could do was to look for a bed-key to unscrew the iron
bedsteads; but Oswald and Dicky toiled on. They carried out chairs and
tables and hearthrugs. As Oswald was staggering on under a Windsor
armchair, with a tea-tray and an ironing-board under his arms, he ran
into a man.

'What's up?' said he.

'Fire!' said Oswald.

'I seed that,' said the man.

Oswald shoved the chair and other things on to the man.

'Then lend a hand to get the things away,' he said.

And more and more people came, and all worked hard; but Oswald and Dicky
did most. Eliza never even found that bed-key, because when she saw
people beginning to come thicker and thicker across the fields, like
ants hurrying home, she went out and told everyone over and over again
that Honeysett had got the key.

Then a woman came along, and Eliza got her into a corner by the stairs
and jawed. I heard part of the jaw.

'An' pore Mrs. Simpkins, her man he's gone to Ashford Market with his
beasts and the three other men, and me and my man said we'd have Liz up
at my place, her being my sister, so as Honeysett could go off to Romney
about the sheep. But she wouldn't come, not though we brought the light
cart over for her. So we thought it best Honeysett stayed about his
work, and go for the sheep to-morrow.'

'Then the house would ha' been all empty but for her not being wishful
to go along of you?' Oswald heard the other say.

'Yes,' said Eliza; 'an' so you see----'

'You keep your mouth shut,' the other woman fiercely said; 'you're
Lily's sister, but Tom, he's my brother. If you don't shut your silly
mouth you'll be getting of them into trouble. It's insured, ain't it?'

'I don't see,' said Eliza.

'You don't never see nothing,' said the other. 'You just don't say a
word 'less you're arst, and then only as you come to look after her and
found the fire a-raging something crool.'

'But why----'

The other woman clawed hold of her and dragge