By this time several of the haymakers, seeing that the storm was
likely to continue, and knowing that they could no more work that
day, had donned heavy coats and departed, going down the road to the
village. This left the farmer and one hired man in the barn.
"It certainly is rainin'," remarked the hired man as he looked out
through the big doors.
At that instant there came a more terrific crash than any that had
preceded it, and the whole place seemed a glare of intense light.
Every one was stunned for a moment, and when they recovered their
numbed senses, Cora, looking toward the farmhouse, saw a sheet of
flame coming from the roof.
"Fire! fire!" she cried. "Your house is afire! It's been struck by
lightning!"
"By gum! So it has!" yelled the man. "It's blazing, and my old
mother is bedridden in it! Come on, Jake! We'll have t' git her out,
anyhow. Now what good is our fire department with no hosses t' haul
th' hose carts, an' all my animals away off! Sech luck! Th' men
gone, too!"
He was rapidly shouting this as--he ran from the barn.
"Where are the hose carts?" called Cora after him.
"In Si Appleby's barn! A mile away, an' it's a bad road." He
pointed to the barn, for it was in sight down the hill.
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