"Attach the hose to the hydrants!" cried Mr. Appleby. "I'll turn on
th' water."
"Who'll handle the nozzles?" asked the farmer.
"It'll take two men to each one, there's so much force to th'
water."
"You an' I can handle one!" yelled Mr. Apple by, "an' your hired
man."
"He can't manage th' other alone."
"Then we'll help!" called Cora. "Come on, girls!"
The lines were unreeled, attached to the hydrants, and were soon
spurting water. Cora and Bess, for Belle declared herself too
nervous to help, aided the hired man in holding one nozzle of the
leaping, writhing hose, that seemed like some great snake as it
squirmed under the pressure of the water. The farmer and Mr. Appleby
managed the other.
The fire burned slowly, and the little force was really setting it
under control when some men, summoned by young Appleby, arrived and
relieved the girls. More lines of hose were run from the hydrants,
each one of which could supply water to two, and the blaze was soon
out, though the house had been considerably damaged.
"Well, if it hadn't been fer them young ladies and their machines,
maybe you wouldn't have had any house, Frank," said Mr. Appleby to
the farmer.
"That's right; and land knows I can't begin t' thank 'em.
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